Twilight Part 2
by ShullieQ
Summary: Itachi's gone off to college, but Deidara stays at home to finish school. Things are going well... till Fugaku gets out of jail.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

May 20. 8.45 PM

One year Later

A whole year ago he had been to one of these events and he had not enjoyed it. He had been watching then, not participating and he had not enjoyed it. A whole year ago, he had been on the verge of failing high school. Not because he wasn't smart, he just didn't like it. Didn't like cliques, didn't like sports, didn't like classes, didn't like teachers. No one liked him either for the most part. No one thought he was smart enough for school. Too drugged up, fucked up and lazy. Even he had trouble believing that all it took was a graduated senior and a promise of a Porsche of his choice for his very own to nudge him alone. There was also the matter of two years of college, but that could come later.

Deidara was happy his last name was in the beginning of the long list of graduates for his class. He might have finished with grades that no one expected, but that didn't mean he wanted to stay in this formal, ugly-as-shit dress and hat they made everyone wear for longer then he absolutely had too. The principle had even offered Deidara a position to speak – what was that called? Vale something. Valedictorian. Itachi had been it for his class when he graduated. Really though. Him? Make a speech about high school and his achievements? What achievements?

Yeah, dudes. The secret to my success was the promise of a nice car from my incomparable hot sex buddy.

He didn't think that would fly with the school board, but that had been the thought running through his head when the principle offered it to him, eyes shining as he looked down at him like a prodigal son.

So what? He had gone from the lowest grade in school to one of the top four student in his grade. No big deal. He'd just done his work and slipped in a million extra credits with the help of said hot sex buddy's cousin Saya who had transferred to the school as a sophomore with a severe want to help the needy. Yay? Now he had to walk across the stage in front of thousands of people to get a slip of paper that said he was smart. Who cares what a paper said? Didn't they give him enough papers with grades on them all year that told him so already?

His hot sex buddy – oh sorry. His boyfriend. A year together and he was still having trouble saying it in a sentence. It was just that strange to him. His boyfriend couldn't make it to his graduation. Boo-hoo. Actually, Deidara hadn't even told him when it was. He hadn't told anyone, but someone had leaked the information and Itachi was upset he couldn't come, finding out too late to set time aside. Unfortunately as Deidara glanced out at the seated crowd, he saw Daichi and Rin Mura holding their one year old daughter Suki, Mikoto Uchiha with her niece and youngest son, all sitting in the middle with more people then he wanted to see. They were all listening to the Principal talking. Mikoto was already filming the entire thing and it looked like Daichi and the others had their own cameras as well.

Shit. Fuck. Damn it all to hell!!

He needed a cigarette.


	2. Reunion

**June**

Itachi frowned as he stepped out of his last class for the afternoon.

Usually the hallways were as dull and quiet as movies made law schools to be. Not to say that law students were entirely boring people, but most were no nonsense types who didn't make the loud racket you'd expect to hear in a high school's corridor. There were a few rebel souls who enjoyed making some form of chaos to disturb the peace. Whether they made the chaos themselves, or just made everyone think something was going on so they could sit back and watch everyone panic over nothing was yet to be determined.

Today looked like one of those times. Except that it looked as though people were gossiping more then panicking over whatever had happened. Groups of girls and boys a like swapping stories, some running down the halls, pushing people as they went. Itachi sighed in aggravation, then started down the hallways, trying to ignore the gossip on his way back to his dorm, but he couldn't help but catch a few phrases that floated into his ear.

"He punched you?" someone asked as a few helped a boy down the hall passed him.

"Yeah, right in the face—"

"Dude, it was your stomach, I was there..."

"Did you see the vending machine? He blew it up!"

"I saw! He picked up one soda and kept walking like nothing happened!"

Itachi frowned and slowed down to listen now. The gossip was starting to sound ridiculous, especially from this group passing him now. The only person he know who'd do that was—

"That guy that broke the machine? Yeah, he burst into my room without knocking, then just left when he saw us!"

"I thought he was a girl at first too... Especially with that hair color."

Deidara.

Great. What a way to end a Friday. So sorry professor. My boyfriend's slightly psychotic and enjoyed blowing things up. It's his art. Not only that, but be warned, he hates authority, so don't tell him he can't do something. What's he doing here? Probably visiting, Ma'am.

Oh yes, the Head Mistress would love to hear that.

Ignoring the rest of the bussle of voices, Itachi took off down the hallway searching. Searching for what? Destruction, chaos, abnormality were the few words that came to mind. Deidara was probably looking for him and getting frustrated when he couldn't. Didn't he know they had classes? Just because high school was out for the summer, didn't mean the same for college students. Deidara had been very put out over the phone when he called Itachi to tell him that he'd survived eleventh grade, only to find out that Itachi wouldn't be home for the whole summer like he expected.

So Deidara had decided to visit him.

Great. Really great actually. Itachi couldn't wait to see him, but this was Deidara's first time on campus. The blond probably hadn't realized that when he decided to come. Itachi hadn't told him his dorm number, which building he was taking classes in and when. Nothing. He hadn't thought he needed to until Deidara asked him.

Going down the stairs, Itachi glanced around and right away noticed the destroyed vending machine that everyone was babbling about. The lock on the door had been blow off it by some sort of explosion, leaving the door swinging open lazily. A few students were venturing over to steal something for themselves when the teachers started to arrive.

One soda.

That was so Deidara.

Shaking his head, he continued down the new hall, moving around students and searching for the blond which was much harder to do then he thought. In high school, Deidara's height made him easy to spot along with his hair. The variety of heights in high school made that easier, Itachi was realizing. Most of the students here were adults and averaging his height. The tiny blond was lost in the crowd.

"I don't know!" came a distressed voice on a lower level of the stair well Itachi entered to try another hallway. "I've never heard of him!"

"How is that fucking possible, un?" the familiar voice floated up to him in such a relief Itachi almost let a huge smile break over his face. Almost. Smiling like an idiot while Deidara was terrorizing his school wouldn't be good.

"I don't—"

"Deidara," Itachi said in a stern voice, leaning on the rail of the stairs to look down at the two. Oh god, the man he was harassing was nearly twice his size. How cute.

Whirling around, Deidara looked for the source of his voice, spotting him and instantly leaving the student against the wall to run with the distraction. Unlike Itachi, Deidara did let the huge smile break over his face before hiding it. "Where the fuck have you been, un?" he demanded, stomping his foot. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"You could have called me to find out where I was," Itachi reminded him, taking the last few steps down to be on the same landing as the blond.

"...I wanted to surprise you," Deidara said, nose turned up in a haughty manner.

"You liar," Itachi said, shaking his head with a grin. "You didn't think of it."

"I would have later, un!" the blond snapped in his defense. Trying to cover up his embarrassment, he stepped up to Itachi expectingly.

Itachi thought about just standing there and staring back at him until Deidara snapped again, but he couldn't resist that long. Letting half of his huge smile break through, he reached out and hugged Deidara tightly. "I missed you," he told him as the blonds arms went around him as well. "Did you really punch that guy?"

"I dunno, I punched a lot of people," Deidara told him, rolling his eyes a little.

Sighing softly, he rubbed his temples a little. Deidara was going to give him a headache. He wished he'd thought of calling so he could have told him where he could meet him. "How long have you been here?" he asked.

"Like a fucking hour!" Deidara grumbled, his temper flaring a little again.

"You're a moron," he told Deidara in response to his frustrations. "When did you realize you had no idea where any of my classes were?"

Deidara didn't answer, just glared darkly and stormed away up the stairs again, but Itachi stopped him with an arm around his waist to pick him up and set him back down on the landing. "Don't be grumpy," he told him. "Lets go get something to eat."

"Where?" Deidara demanded, folding his arms, but Itachi's arm was keeping him from storming away again. "There's nothing here but vending machines, un."

"There's a cafeteria that makes pretty good food," Itachi told him, turning him to the stairs to go down, walking with him. "I'll show you your way around campus so you wont get lost every time you come here."

"I wasn't lost, un," Deidara argued, storming down the stairs. Itachi couldn't help but snicker softly, hiding it behind his hand when Deidara turned to glare back at him. "What!?"

"Don't be mad," Itachi told him, wrapping his arms around his shoulder to draw him close against him. "I'm happy to see you. You and all your adorable tantrums."

He held on as Deidara started to struggle, claiming he wasn't having a tantrum which he obviously was and was planning to leave now and go home, but Itachi wouldn't let him go, planting his feet on the ground so Deidara had to use all his energy to drag him down the hallway. Best to wear him out a little so they could sit down and have a semi normal reunion. He could only assume that Deidara's high energy and short fuse was because of his own excitement.

God, his week just got a million times better.


	3. Chapter 3

Deidara officially hated going home now. Since he spent all weekend with Itachi, he found himself not wanting it to end so fast. He'd been very excited to be able to spend summer with Itachi, not being nagged about not going to school or not doing his homework, but now Itachi had school in the summer and he wasn't allowed to stay with him. He was sure the dorm was big enough. He was sure Kisame wouldn't mind. Stupid teachers and rules.

He'd received a phone call before left from Mikoto wanted him to join her for dinner which cut his and Itachi's down three hours less. If it wasn't for the fact that Deidara didn't want to leave, he would have said that it was worth it to see Itachi's expression. He didn't know Itachi could pout that hard. A spoiled little rich kid tantrum ready to well over like a volcano. Deidara could have said dinner wasn't that important and be late to it, but Itachi told him he didn't want to do that to his mother and gave him a kiss goodbye.

Stopping in front of the white and brick house surrounded by flowers that had bloomed through the course of spring turning into summer. Deidara was sure Mikoto had esp; either that or she had been waiting by the door to open it as he walked up.

Mikoto hadn't changed much since he first met her last year. She looked remarkably like Itachi, though her features were softer and far more feminine then his. Her dark eyes shone happily as she swept him into the hug she gave him every time he came over, though he couldn't seem to get use to it yet. She smelled like kitchen, but not in a bad way. Mikoto's meals were the most delicious things he'd ever put in his mouth and she always seemed to retain the scent of the seasoning she used.

"I'm so glad you could make it in time," she said, pulling him in the house with her usual warm smile. "I wanted you to meet someone. Since Sasuke's going to be going to a private school, I thought maybe you could help out."

"Help out with what?" he asked, giving her a suspicious look as he was led into the kitchen. He got his answer before Mikoto could explain. Sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen was a girl – woman? – teenager? He wasn't quite sure yet. She was tall, she was pretty, she was glamorous, and she looked just like a young Mikoto.

"This is my niece, Saya," Mikoto explained, going to check the pot on the stove. "She's going to be transferring to your school next year, so I was going to ask you to show her around when you go back."

"Hello," the girl, Saya, said, lifting a hand from the magazine she'd been reading. "You're Itachi's boyfriend aren't you?"

"Uh... yeah," Deidara said, climbing up on a stool to sit at the island as well, knowing all to well by now not to offer any help in the kitchen. "And you're his.... very fancy looking cousin, un?"

Saya snorted into her glass of ice water, carefully wiping her mouth so she wouldn't smudge her lipstick. "You think I'm fancy?" she asked.

"You don't?" Deidara asked, glancing her up and down from what he could see from the table top and up. Girls. Deidara did not do girls very well.

"I'm going to be a fashion designer," Saya told him with a friendly smile. It didn't have the same rainbow warmth Mikoto had, but it was close.

Footsteps on the stairs signaled Sasuke's presence. The younger Uchiha hadn't mastered the art of grace as his brother had yet. "Hey, Deidara," he greeted, sliding into the chair next to him. "How was Itachi?"

"Drowning in boredom?" Deidara said startled as everyone's eyes snapped their attention him.

"Was he eating well?" Mikoto asked, with attempts to sound casual and failing as she went back to her cooking.

Deidara snorted a little. "He looked okay," he replied, sounding like he was tattling. There was no way he would tattle on Itachi, though there really wasn't enough to actually tattle. What was he going to say? He's acting just how he was before he left? Studying like a mad man and forgetting to eat some times. Silently shaking his head, he sipped the cranberry juice Mikoto set in front of him while he waited for dinner to be served.

After eating, which consisted of mostly Sasuke talking to Saya about school and things going on in the city since it had been a while since her last visit, Deidara excused himself to climb up the stairs to the second floor. He hadn't asked, but he wondered as he stared at the first door on the right at the top of the stairs, closed shut. Where was Itachi's cousin staying? He hoped it wasn't behind this door. It's previous occupant wouldn't be home for another four years, but still ... it was Itachi's room. Turning the handle, he pushed the door open and peeked inside, a smile widening on his face as he dared to open his eyes.

Nothing had changed inside. Itachi's bed was still where it was always positioned in the middle of the room, parallel to the window. His desk was still there, his book case – though considerably empty now – still stood in the corner by his window seat. Sneaking inside the room, Deidara crawled on top of the bed with a heavy sigh, snuggling into the comfortable mattress. Mikoto had even left his blankets on the bed, the smell of fresh sheets engulfed his nose as he took a deep breath, hugging one of the extra pillows close to his chest as though it were Itachi himself.

What was wrong with him? He was use to being alone. For years all he wanted was one night alone without anyone around him so he could relax and sleep without someone touching him or doing things to him. Now in a matter of months he'd been reduced to wanting someone there all the time. Not just any someone. He wanted Itachi here. He missed the warmth of the body that always complained about being cold snuggling up against his back for warmth. Now Itachi was gone and leaving that school had been harder then he thought it would be. He hadn't realized just how much he missed him until he learned he had to go home.

"You miss him?"

Deidara jumped a little at the sudden voice at the door. Mikoto smiled at him as she walked in. Gruffly, he shook his head and laid back down, back to the door. Yes, he missed him, but he wasn't going to be a baby about it. What she think he was? Ten years old?

"I miss him too," she said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbed his shoulder. "Did you two have fun?"

"Yeah," he said, not looking at her. "I wanna go back soon, un."

"You can," she told him with a smile. "Soon you'll be driving up there again, so don't be so sad."

"I'm not sad, un," he grumbled at her, pouting into the pillows. Never. H would never admit to something like that. He didn't get sad. Things were fun if they lasted a long time. He refused to be. If he did he would be denying everything he had made for himself. His art, his life... everything. His parents hadn't lasted. He wasn't sad. Races didn't last long. Things broke, they didn't last. That was just the way of life and it was what made life worth living in.

"Deidara... It's alright," Mikoto's voice broke though his thoughts again. Her hand reached over to cup his cheek, gently pulling him over to hug him close. "It's alright," she continued to murmur as she rubbed his back. Deidara didn't understand why until she brushed his cheek, her fingers coming away wet.

Touching his own cheek in surprise, he stared down at the tears in shock. He never cried... ever. He didn't understand why to explain himself, but Mikoto didn't seem to care. She simply continued to hold him close, hand rubbing over his back.

His embarrassment never had a chance to develop. His phone beep for a text message. Shifting to pull i t out of his pocket, he opened the message, desperate for a way out of this one.

'1457. Veyron 16.4. Need.'

Perfect. Deidara smirked, pushing himself off the bed. "I gotta go, un," he told Mikoto.

"Alright, Dei," she said, smiling at him, but still in concern. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes, I'll be fine," he assured her, tucking his phone back in his pocket.

"Don't be a stranger."

"I wont," he called back, hurrying down the stairs and out the door.

Kicking his bike into gear, he pulled out of the everything perfect neighborhood. He'd hated the place at first, but with the Uchiha's here, he was visiting it more then he ever expected. Right now, however, that place was not important. What was important was the text message. Location. Prize.

Just got home and back to work. Not that Deidara was complaining. For a Bugatti? Hell, he'd put of Itachi for that. Since he knew the feeling would most likely be mutual. Itachi was going to be so jealous when he told him. He hoped Daichi would let him drive it at least a little bit after he wont if for him.

It had been a while since he last raced. He had wanted to finish his second to last year of school. Most of Daichi's team mocked him, but Daichi sounded thrilled. He even offered to pay for cram school for him, which Deidara solidly refused. He wanted to do good, not rot his brain away with extra school. Either way, Deidara had no time to race and his pay from Daichi dropped immensely. He hadn't told Itachi about that, and he was angry at himself for resorting to the things he had to get money. Money for gas, money for drugs. Sometimes he knew Itachi was too good for him. Most of the time he tried not to care.

He did want to stop.. he did. He just couldn't. His life wouldn't allow it.

Arriving at the location, Deidara quickly found Daichi's team and parked his bike. He wasn't even listening to the people that swelled around to greet him. Daichi shook his head at him and slid his arm around his shoulder. "Welcome back," he told him.

"Yeah, yeah," Deidara mumbled back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... Just..."

"Miss Itachi?" Daichi asked with a grin.

"No," Deidara snapped in his defense, stomping away as the other team came over to settle on the race.

They wanted Deidara in a car for safety. They wanted matched vehicles and didn't want either driver harmed. Daichi was putting up two of his rare end cars on the line, which was why he was trusting Deidara for this. Deidara didn't know what cars were being put up, but he was sure he wouldn't loose. It was just a matter of how to go about winning that he had to worry about. He had been excited about racing for that million dollar car but now, here with all these people making grabs and gropes for him – so much braver now that Itachi wasn't here – he had no motivation. If Itachi was here watching that would be another story. He loved showing off to Itachi. What had been his motivation before? Drugs.. alcohol... money. Money... yeah he still needed money. He still needed the other stuff too, but to get all that... sex. Ugh.

"Race to the top of the lot," Daichi said as he came over. "Same old."

"In a car?" Deidara asked, feeling more and more grouchy.

"Yeah, you're going to drive my Z," Daichi said, handing him the keys. "You up for it?"

Instead of answering him, Deidara snatched the keys away giving him a dirty look. Up for it? Of course he was up for it. That was a stupid question. While the machine wasn't to his liking, he wouldn't deny that the engine powering the Z wasn't a push over. He revved the engine at the starting line, impatient for the start. In front of the start, people were spraying the line to start. The preparations made his heart pound with the excitement his body remembered, heightening his senses, but his heart wasn't in it. It needed to be. Otherwise he would loose when Daichi trusted him to do this. He had to focus.

Focus... focus.

"Deidara."

The sound of his name made him jump with a start, completely shattering that concentration. He looked over at Daichi calmly leaning in the passenger side window, watching him break out in a small panic. Crap. He hadn't wanted Daichi to see him like that and think less of him.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Daichi said before Deidara could compose himself. It was unnerving how calm Daichi's face was. So calm. As though he hadn't bet a nice car and money on this race that was depending on him to win.

"I'm fine," Deidara snapped, loosening his death grip on the steering wheel.

"Good," Daichi said with a slight nod. "What's going on? You seem distracted." Daichi watched him with coal black eyes, staring his azure ones down until Deidara had to look away. "You miss him that bad? You just saw him this morning."

"I'm fine, un!" he told the mechanic. "I'm not dependent on people."

"I know you're not," Daichi said with a grin. "Look, I'm supposed to keep this a secret, but whatever. Itachi's watching the race on his phone through the streamed video. He's worried about you and wants to make sure you're okay with him gone when you're not putting a face on."

"What?" Deidara cried, startled. "Are you lying to get me to focus more?"

"If I wanted to do that, I'd do it in a less obvious manner. You can check the listings on the phone connections, Itachi's is on there," Daichi told him.

"Sneak," Deidara muttered under his breath. Itachi was spying on him!

"Hey, at least I told you," Daichi said with a shrug. "So stop being mopey and nervous. It's not like you and you're going to make Itachi worry and feel bad for leaving."

"Now you are trying to make me feel bad, un," Deidara said, rolling his eyes and hit the button to make the window go up. Daichi shrugged and backed away, going over to his place with his candy to watch the start of the race. Itachi might be spying on him, but he was watching too. Watching the races, probably inwardly whining about the cars that were being put up. Could Itachi see through his mask and knew something was wrong? Maybe he was just worried that Deidara was off with other people when he was gone. It made Deidara frown a little at the thought. Didn't Itachi trust him? No, not if he was smart. Deidara wouldn't trust himself if he was in his shoes. Well, he was being trustworthy and he wasn't going to loose because he could still show off now. He couldn't mess up. He hated showing off to these people now, but Itachi... He would never get tired for showing off for him. If he messed up the car it wouldn't be his fault. He had a reputation for destroying cars and they knew it when they let him race. The cars got scratched and damaged, then they came to him to fix it. Daichi didn't mind, he figured that most of the time not only did they want it fixed but they also wanted other modifications done as well, so there'd be a profit out of the deal.

He shot a sideways glance at the other driver, but only for a moment. The thought of Itachi watching brought the excitement back up. The high he'd get from the adrenaline rush. The danger he loved to challenge. The party afterwards... He licked his lips a little, eyes locked on the start man.

Ready...

Set...

"GO!"

Tires screamed, people cheered and the world began running in fast forward as the opposite wall came closer. Everything was loud and rushed on a bike as you fought passed the wind. The car did that for you and silenced the world around him. That he didn't like. He hated silence even though the squealing tires were loud. The roar of the engine was loud, but it just wasn't enough as he darted around the sharp corners. The grinding of metal as the cars connected for a moment reminded him that cars couldn't take corners like a bike.

Despite his handicap of not being use to the car, he reached the top first.

In competitions there is only ever a winner and a looser. Not a winner and one-hell-of-an-opponent. As the other driver got out of his car to examine the scrapes and dents caused by the psycho blond driver, Deidara waved at him, giving him the peace sign with his fingers in thanks for a fun race. That is, he did before swarms of people flocked over to him congratulating him on the race. There wasn't anyone there worth talking to so he pushed through the crowd to the open air and pulled out the pretty green phone that had been a present from Itachi.

Opening it and scrolling through the video streams, he saw Itachi's number dropping off. Sneaky sneak. He was hiding from him, but Deidara sent a direct video request to his number, smirking a little as the dark hair man came on the screen. "Sexy glasses," Deidara told him.

"Shut up, I'm studying," Itachi told him with a roll of his eyes.

"Really? Studying for school or studying to appease your own curiosity?" Deidara questioned.

"What else would I be studying?" Itachi asked, his best poker face on. He held up the thick text book he had open to show him that he was studying.

"You were on the video list," Deidara said with a snicker, shaking his head. "You spying on me?"

"I'm allowed to watch the races if I want," Itachi told him, turning his nose up a little.

"Then why'd you jump off the second I finished?"

"Kisame came in," Itachi said, then glanced away, thoroughly aware as Deidara was that the room was empty behind him. "...Sorry. I was just curious."

"It's alright," Deidara said poking his tongue out a little. "Did you see all of it, un?"

"Yes," Itachi said with a smile, picking up his pencil to do some form of work while he talked to Deidara.

"Did you see the car?"

The pencil paused. "...Yes," Itachi replied more gruffly. Deidara had been right, he was inwardly whining. "Go have fun. I'm sure there's going to be a party later."

"Want me to call you later, un?" Deidara asked, pouting a little at being sent away. Even if Itachi wasn't studying before, he was now which meant Deidara had to leave Itachi alone.

"No, you'll be drunk and I wont understand what you're telling me," Itachi said calmly, ignoring the expression Deidara was giving him. It disappeared the instant Itachi looked up at him again, giving him a kiss in the air before disconnecting the video.

Aww, he'd given him a phone kiss.

Sending him a text message that read '*chu*', Deidara tucked his phone away and turned back to the people, preparing for another race or just partying. Itachi had given him permission to party. He was going to party hard.

The whole summer passed like that. Deidara drove up to see Itachi every chance he got, using the money he won from the races and working for Daichi to pay for his gas. When he wasn't at the college, he was at the garage, studying and working. Occasionally he was invited to a swimming party, a pool far better then the broken fire hydrant at the skate park, but most of the time the parties were run by the same rich people Deidara was trying to avoid, but times would come where he couldn't stay away. Too hot or too tired to care. Mikoto had been talking about getting a pool installed in the backyard of the Uchiha house, which Deidara would have preferred more, but never seemed to get to it. The blond had no idea where Itachi and Sasuke's bubbling mother got all her money from. Even with the main source of income gone with Fugaku, she still went on as though life hadn't stopped. She still went out every day, so Deidara assumed she had a job too, though he hadn't thought so before. Sasuke didn't know, saying it didn't matter to him if she had a job or not and Deidara didn't want to ask her himself.

School would be starting and he'd have less time to spend with Itachi, though he was looking forward to the massive three week vacation Itachi was getting around Christmas and New years. That made him happy.

During the week before school Deidara went out with Sasuke and his cousin Saya to shop for school supplies. Well, Deidara and Sasuke shopped for school supplies, Saya bought more accessories and clothes then supplies. Deidara even bought him self a three ring binder. Yes. Him. He bought himself this horrid thing as well as a marble notebook to replace the destroyed on he had last year. Sasuke tried to talk him into getting the whole shebang: pencils, pens, sharpener, pencil case, paper, dividers, index cards. Deidara put his foot down and refused, putting Sasuke in a bad mood the rest of the day because of the names Deidara had called him.

The first day of school was the longest day of the year so far. Deidara made sure his teachers knew he wasn't going to put up with anything as he glared at them from bell to bell, stuffing the papers that each teacher handed out like he wasn't going to look at them. Why couldn't they just have one paper to sign that covered everything? They had the ones from last year on record too, didn't they? They should use that one, but no. The school wanted to kill more trees by having each teacher print a million copies of papers that they'd use against them as they signed their life away for the entire school year. Dull on ridiculous amounts of levels. He had a few teachers from the year before, smirking at their groaning faces when they saw him stride in.

That's right bitches. Allow me to ruin your year for you.


	4. Decisions

Homeroom. Literally the most useless class ever invented. It wasn't even a class, it was just a way to track down what students came to school on time and to give out announcements. Why couldn't they just do that in a regular class room? In fact, why not cut it all out as a whole? Who really wanted to see these announcements anyway? The teams were going to be doing this, and also don't forget students this, this and this. How about no? Homeroom should be like nap time in kindergarten. The more you sleep, the better you are. Maybe they should give out stickers too. He remembered kindergarten. He got a million stickers for how good he was at nap time. He very much took advantage of his gift of falling asleep at will. That had been kindergarten, this was high school where sleeping was not smiled upon. Sleep was for the weak! Naps were for children! Honestly, Deidara had no problem being called either of these names so long as he got to sleep a little more.

This was high school. He was not allowed sleep.

"Deidara, wake up."

See?

Lifting his head sleepily, Deidara blinked up at his homeroom teacher who was holding out a piece of paper to him. Five minutes into the first day of school and he was already getting the evil eye. Ignoring the soft giggles around him, he unstuck his face from his desk and took the paper from him, rubbing his eyes as he did so. What was this? Oh, the schedule. Great. Where did he have to go in thirty minutes? Grammar. Just great.

Pulling out his phone he send a text to Itachi, ignoring the throat clearing the teacher gave him. He wasn't teaching anything, why couldn't he have his phone?

**' ): sleepy'**

**'I shouldn't have kept you up so late, my apologies.'**

**'i don't care hr is dumb'**

**'I never saw much use for it either. Did you sleep well?'**

**'yea until 4 eyes woke me'**

**'...I was referring to last night'**

**'o yea i slept like a rock'**

**'I'm glad. Shall I call after you get out of school? I'd like to know how your day was.'**

**'no nap first? ):'**

**'You will not get to sleep tonight if you do.'**

**'faaaaaaaail'**

**'Have a good day at school, Deidara.'**

Rolling his eyes, he closed the phone again and laid his head down on his desk again. He still had a few minutes before he had to transform into a model student posing as a horrible one.

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

There was one noise this universally hated. The sound that jars you from the peaceful state of slumber to force you out of bed to start the morning routine. Getting up, taking a shower and readying for the day.

Deidara groaned loudly at the noise, willing it to turn off by its self, but the noise only got louder with neglect. It was joined by the sound that was meant to be a hiss, but because it came from such a tiny body, it didn't sound very threatening, but Milkshake pounced on the alarm clock, also not pleased by being woken up. Deidara sleepily cheered him on until he finally reached out to silence it.

Five minutes wouldn't hurt anything.

"Mew!"

Deidara cracked his eyes opened to look at the very much awake and hungry kitten. "Five minutes," he told him aloud, but Milkshake sneezed defiantly, hoping off the matress and began pawing at his empty food dish. The metal clattering was worse then the alarm.

Rolling out of bed, Deidara shuffled over to open a can of kitten salmon and dumped it in the dish, pouring water in the other one. He watched him do a few mini pounces at his dish before eating, like his own victory food dance.

"You're so dumb, un," Deidara informed him, slumping into the bathroom to take a shower.

Today was Friday and he had survived a whole month of school. A whole month of being smart, of refusing calls from customers, of being a model student by showing up on time and not smoking in the bathrooms and doing his home work. God he hated being smart. How did people like that stand it? He had to admit, he was a little proud of himself, though his wallet wasn't. Most of his money now went to Milkshake. Food and litter were a lot more expensive then he imagined. He'd read a few books on cat care, spoken with a vet and that crazy I-love-animals-and-trees girl that sat next to him in Art class. Because Milkshake was so small, he'd need extra care (Or extra love as the tree hugger told him), but Deidara didn't mind doing stuff for him. Taking care of his kitten was a good way for him to take his mind off things. To ignore the things that were dragging him down and making him cold and sweaty at night.

No drugs.

He glared at himself in the mirror as he stepped out of the steaming shower. He looked horrible. Opening the medicine cabinet, he pulled out his cover up and put it on after drying himself off. Girly, but necessary. The horrid dark circles under his eyes weren't the best thing to be seen. The only person who saw him like this was his dear baby kitten who didn't care one bit how he looked.

Coming out to get dressed, Milkshake hopped out of his liter box and ran to Deidara for praise for using it correctly. Maybe he was spoiling him, praising him for everything he did, but Deidara really didn't care. He loved this kitten, the present Itachi had given him to keep him company while he was gone. He had no problems making sacrifices for him. Giving the kittens head a good scratch before pulling on his clothes.

Oh school, how you suck.

Milkshake was dropped off at Daichi's. Deidara felt much safer with him there and not at his crap hole of an apartment. He knew the kind of things the kitten brought him when he wasn't watching him. Not that the garage was much safer, but Deidara felt it was. Daichi brought his daughter there all the time so it must be safe. Suki squealed when she saw Deidara, waving her arms frantically when he came up, instantly grabbing at his golden hair. Deidara and Daichi's hair; Suki loved it's abnormality.

"Nice to see you too," Deidara told her, removing his hair from her grasp then pulled Milkshake from his hoodie pocket. "Hey, you behave now, alright?" he spoke to the kitten. "Don't get in any trouble, and make sure you protect Suki, okay?"

He set the kitten down, giving a ruffle of the soft fur as he bounded off to sniff around the garage. The first few days Deidara had left him there, the kitten had tried to follow him out the door, crying and whining. Deidara had caved the first two days and took him to school with him, but that hadn't worked out very well and he had to suck it up and leave the crying kitten behind. Daichi told him later that after a few hours he was running around again exploring, but Deidara still felt bad for leaving him there, even though he'd seemed to have gotten use to it, instantly running to search for something to chase. Picking up his bag again, Deidara waved to Daichi and hurried off to school.

Oh homeroom, how you suck.

Even after the first day of school, this classroom had not gotten any better. Despite his rough half hour before the first bell, Deidara couldn't believe the schedule he'd been given this year. They were getting creative with preparing it to keep him in school.

First period, that he was going to be in when the bell rang, was Health down in the basement of the school with the teacher he had humiliated in his freshman year during Sex Ed. Needless to say, his teacher was thrilled to see him again. Making his life miserable was a reason to come to school in the first place. After that was Grammar 12, which he hated. Hated. He hated reading and writing and his teacher was shorter then he was, talking in a very high pitched voice that grated at his brain. After that was Biology, one of the few morning classes he actually enjoyed. While the information and scientific details bore him to tears, he very much liked the curriculum outline and the slip he had to have Daichi sign to allow him to take the course. They'd be doing a lot of lab work and Deidara liked doing, not being taught. Then came Calculus. Possibly his least favorite class he'd ever taken Math required too much thinking in his opinion, but he'd signed up for it to show off to Itachi. Well, that was a lesson learned. Over the phone one night, Itachi had told him to think of the math as a puzzle, but as much as he liked solving puzzles, the numbers were hard for his brain to accept enough to not hate.

Then came Lunch.

Well, who could really say anything about Lunch? People liked to talk about how bad the food is, but who really cared? It was nearly free. At least it was edible. And after Lunch, Deidara's day was a walk in the park.

His fifth class was German. The school required him to take a foreign language. He chose German to cheat and keep his GPA up in cause something went wrong in his other classes. The school didn't have to know he spoke it fluently. Then there was Art. Oh Art. He'd taken art class all four years in high school and he'd always had the same teacher who smiled and rolled his eyes whenever Deidara tried to explain to him why the explosion of clay all over the room was more artistic then the boring pots and cups people were making. His teacher was a lot more easy going then most of the other ones, letting his students express themselves how they wanted, not holding them down to specific instructions – with the warning to keep the place neat and clean and no bloodshed. Last of all was Tech Ed, which wasn't much different then art. He got to build things then break them. Unless it was something useful and cool like a candy dispenser or a toy car. Oh, no. He had broken the toy car he made Freshman year, but it had been fun to drive down three flights of walkway stares and smash into a brick wall. Oh, and there was another thing to get a parent or guardian signature. Apparently they'd be using minor explosives too.

While his Art teacher was fine with him, the others looked slightly mortified to have him in their class. Some remembered him from previous years, others from coworker's stories. Every day they expected to be interrupted, insulted, anything, but Deidara stayed quiet for the most part, unless one of his friends were in the class. What they didn't know was that Deidara was going to be working hard this year to be top in their class. It was just harder for him to keep up with his reputation and do good in school at the same time. A lot harder. The headache of being teased won over the headache of extra work. The only fun thing about this was the looks on his teacher's faces when he turned in his work, when they gave out grades. They were shocked.

The recent development of school work led to another problem of his, that sprung up every time he went in for lunch.

"Dei, do you have anything for me today?"

God he hated women's voices when they were trying to sound sexy but demanding.

He glanced over at the girl with her bleached hair and make-uped face and shook his head. "I haven't gone to get any, un," he muttered, breaking his chopsticks apart to start eating.

"What? Deidara, you haven't gone out all month!" one of the other boys at the table cried. "You said not to doubt you."

"I said that last year when I had a lot of free time," Deidara growled under his breath.

"What's wrong? Your boyfriend got you on a short leash?" the girl cooed at him, sliding her fingers through Deidara's hair. "He's not even here, Dei..."

"That has nothing to do with it," Deidara snapped, shoving her hands away from his hair and stood up. To leave the room, going up the first stair case he came to.

Despite the different opinions people had with art, Deidara felt comfortable in the Art Wing. All around him were demonstrations of creativity and originality. The white painted concrete walls were covered with pieces painted inside painted frames. He did like these... a little. There weren't many spaces left to paint on. Seniors in long standing art program painted their own works on the wall as their last mark on the school. While he wasn't looking forward to it, he would be asked to do the same this year, spilling his own art into the hallways outside the art wing with the rest of his class. He would delay the inevitable as long as he could, but the art wing could never push him away. Even if their ideas of art were wrong.

His teacher gave him a look when he walked into the middle of her glass. Ignoring the outbreak of whispers and glances, Deidara went to the back of the room where the easels were kept and drew out a canvas to set up. He didn't know why, but he felt the urge to paint. To think while he painted. So many people wanted him one way, another... one quiet and patient wanted him happy, even if that one was sad with his decisions. Money was needed. His hands holding his brush shook a little from his body's want of what he was denying it. He hated money. Hated that even though he didn't care about it, the world made it impossible to do without it. Money for food. Money for Milkshake, money for drugs, money to visit Itachi. He was doing good one the drugs, he hadn't touched anything in weeks, but his body suffered because of it. He glared at his shaking hands and set the brush down. Useless thing. His hands could work just as well.

Pulling his shirt off, oblivious to the gasps and giggles of the classroom, Deidara tied his hair back and dipped his fingers in the paint he had on his pallet. He didn't know how to convey his thoughts with paint, but he didn't think, he just acted.

All his life there had been no rules. He did what he wanted with no care of the consequences. Living in the moment, because that moment was all that mattered. Selling himself on the street meant nothing to him. It was quick and easy money and beneficial in some cases. Clients that came to him bought him presents, they did anything he wanted them to if their buttons were pushed right. He loved watching them squirm under the control he had over them, even if they weren't aware of it. What was wrong with him? What had Itachi done to him? What was different? His no rules life was suddenly being invaded by a thought. A want of rules. How could Itachi ask him to change his very personality just for him?

No... that was wrong. Itachi never asked him of that. Itachi had never asked if he would wait. Never indicated that he wanted Deidara to stop. Itachi would never tell him what to do. Perhaps the Uchiha understood him better then he thought, or he was to worried to state his thoughts on the matter. Or maybe Itachi had no thoughts about what he wanted. Maybe the only thing Itachi wanted was for him to be happy, totally disregarding any feelings he had himself.

Was Itachi so different from the rest? Itachi never asked for favors, never demanded or expected things from him. He wanted him to be himself and it was throwing Deidara off. He didn't know what to do with this open freedom Itachi gave.

His finger dragged across the painting in frustration. He liked being free. Not held down by an individual person.

What was wrong with his thoughts lately?

"Deidara."

The voice snapped him out of his thoughts, back to the class room where the studens were exiting and his teacher was standing nearby, looking towards his painting. "That's amazing," she told him, moving closer to get a better look. Deidara wouldn't let her see though.

"Its crap," he told her, giving the painting that reflected his mental thoughts and frustrations a glare and broke the canvas' frame. His teacher gasped in horror as he tore the painting up, crumpling it to mash down into the nearby trash can.

His thoughts were not for the public eye to see and evaluate.

Maybe he should just skip the rest of school. He didn't want the art wing now, his head was too full for his other classes. "Miss. H? Can I got to the nurse? I'm not feeling hot, un."

His teacher gave him a worried glance, but nodded and wrote him a pass. That was new. Usually she protested that he was fine, but he figured he had freaked her out more then usual today. Deidara painting. With feeling no less. She probably never thought she'd see something like that ever.

His forcing himself to throw up in the nurses office got him sent home. Most students had to wait for their parents to arrive to pick them up, but Daichi had talked to the school nurse and principal to let the younger students who lived with him walk home themselves. Grabbing his hoodie from his locker, Deidara left, proudly flashing his go-home pass to the officer manning the front door. He went to the store first, grabbing a small bag of dry and cans of wet cat food, soap and a soda to wash the gross taste of vomit from his mouth.

On second thought, he got cigarettes too. Oh, cancer sticks, how he loved you.

He wasn't paying attention to where he was wandering to until he saw a flash of blue hair disappearing underneath the hood of the gray Honda. God, he hated working, but the whole train of thought involving money ran through his head again. Seriously sucks. The tiny, exciting mewing alerted Daichi to his presence. Milkshake ran across the concrete floor, nearly tripping over his own feet in his happiness to see Deidara earlier then usual. Scooping him up, Deidara cuddled the ball of energy, cooing softly over him as Daichi wiped his hands off on a dirty rag.

"School let out early?" he asked, obviously aware that it hadn't.

"I had stuff on my mind, un," Deidara told him, petting Milkshake's cheek. "I want to work more."

"You're dropping out?" there was a warning glint in his dark eyes.

"No, no," Deidara insisted hurriedly before that wrench got chucked at him. "I want to do both."

A curious frown came over his pierced face; Daichi leaned on the back of a car in thought, processing this new information before speaking again. "You need extra money?"

"No."

"What for?"

"Just in case," Deidara replied, hugging his kitten.

"What about school work?"

"I'll study at night when I'm done working, un."

"No racing?"

"Only if you need me."

He watched him incline his head in thought again, going back to the engine he'd been working on. Daichi was going to think about it at least, Deidara recognized that the conversation was over until he was done thinking. Milkshake mewed for the attention he'd lost to his babysitter, pawing at the bags in Deidara's hand. Smiling down at him, the blond carried him inside the bunk room and up into their little hide out. While Deidara did his homework, Milkshake ate pieces of dry cat food Deidara laid out, talking non stop in his tiny kitten voice. Rolling his eyes a little, Deidara rubbed his soft furry chin, asking the kitten questions about his day that got him another train of meows.

His cat thought he could talk human.

"Hey you, slow down," he said as he paused to give a sneeze. "You're going to suffocate yourself from talking too much, un."

"Are you really quitting?"

Deidara looked down at Daichi and shrugged in response. He hadn't made a definite decision, but he was leaning towards that thought. Stupid thought. That horrible thought that brought in the one thing he hated into his life without him even realizing it.

"For Itachi," Daichi confirmed with out a question. "I'm impressed, Dei."

"Nothing to be impressed about," he huffed back.

"Either way, I'm pleased," Daichi told him. "I'll give you more work here. Go to school, come straight here an work till closing, then do your school work. Weekends can be more, if you want. I'll call you to race if I need you."

"Thanks Daichi."

"And while you're here, sweep out the dead mice your monster brought me."

October came fast, but not that Deidara was complaining. Who didn't love fall and carving pumpkins and telling scary stories and celebrating Deidara's birthday? Eighteenth birthday to be exact. He was an adult now and could buy cigarettes legally and get tried as an adult. Hopefully that last one wouldn't happen this year. An officer had already stopped him on the way to school jokingly asking if the city should prepare for any destruction for the sake of better lives again.

Not this year though.

A friend of his' family owned a large area of land that was all wood and farmland that they were willing to let him use for his birthday party. Everything was already planned. He could see it all. A big bonfire, food, bike racing, paint ball, corn field tag, pond swimming, pumpkin battles and fire works. Not necessarily in that order. He had to admit, he outdid himself on the preparations. And everyone was going to be there.

Well... almost everyone.

"Are you sure?" Deidara asked, pouting in the back seat of Daichi's mustang, cradling the phone to his ear.

"I'm sorry, Deidara," Itachi voice told him on the other end. "I have a lot of tests and extra work because of the holidays coming up."

"But it's my birthday, un," Deidara hated Itachi's school. How could they schedule it like this? Halloween was a very important holiday too. Much better then Christmas or something.

"I'm really sorry," Itachi repeated, sounding just as sorry as his words. "I'll be home for three weeks for the Christmas holiday."

"Who cares about that holiday?"

"I'll take you to a resort."

"You're bribing me."

"Shamelessly."

"Fine," Deidara sighed loudly. "You better seriously make up for this though, un."

"Have fun."

"Itachi's not coming?" Daichi questioned as they pulled onto a smaller road.

"He's got school stuff."

"I'm sure he'll make it up to you," Rin smiled back at him, which he returned in a half smile and nodded, sure of that, but still sad that he couldn't make it.

News of Deidara's party spread like wildfire, but Deidara was expecting that. There were nearly three times as many people invited and so much extra food and alcohol that people brought to share. Plus the stack of gifts was quite expensive. Every one who arrived early cheered as the three pulled up and it wasn't long before a beer was put in his hand. All day people continued to arrive, bringing food, drinks and presents. Despite the chill October weather, no one was wearing much. All around him people clad in all sorts of clothes made of leather, vinyl, denim, cotton and polyester played around him. There were skinny dipping in the pond, bikes racing down the forest paths around the farm and hiding in the hay barn until the dogs came through to chase them out, struggling to get their clothes back on. When the sun set in the evening the bonfire rose and several torch posts were stationed around the open area where people danced, ate, drank and Deidara all but forgot Itachi's absence.

Others didn't though and were taking advantage of Deidara's drunken birthday high. In the pond, everyone was passing him around, coping feels and 'birthday kisses'. It only got worse as the pumpkin battle began.

A pumpkin battle is an all out food fight and wrestling match. The pumpkins were smashed on the ground and their insides were thrown. People slipped and slid across the slime, throwing it and tackling each other in it. Clothes were shredded from the grabs everyone was making and by the time they all ran to the pond to clean themselves off, they were a mess of sticky pumpkin guts. With the fall of the sun, the heat was gone and they all rushed back to the fire to warm themselves up again.

Deidara was barely aware of his own body by the time the fireworks were set off in the field. He was drunk and high on acid, seeing beautiful colors and fast moving blurs of people. Everything was so pretty this way. How could he have gone so long without it? Despite Itachi's absence, this was the best birthday he ever had, even though right now he was floating around in his own mental state. He was aware of hands on him, but for all he knew, they belonged to Itachi come to surprise him. He was dancing and having fun, he didn't care who had him.

When his body stopped moving again and he could focus on something again, he was laying on the ground staring at the flames of the bonfire, completely mesmerized by the multitudes of colors, liking the water like substance falling upwards to the sky from the longs they came from. He felt the greed of the fire. It wanted to eat everything in it's course to the sky, but it's greed was what stopped it from achieving that freedom. Once it had eaten everything, it too would die. But it was still beautiful despite it's greed. He wanted to seep into the flames and rise up like a phoenix and fly away.

The acid in his system told him how possible this was. He only had to take a few crawling steps forward and he could become that phoenix and fly. Fly away to the stars. How wonderful that would be.

A phoenix though... they die and come back. A never ending cycle of death and birth. Endless. Everlasting. Ugly. Deidara glared at the flames for it's betrayal, pulling his hand back from where it had been inching closer to the pulsing heat. What a horrible thing to be.

He left the fire to it's greed, unwilling to be eaten himself.

Soft skin was against his, but it didn't chill or draw him from his mind. More skin followed. He determined them fingers sliding over his back, moving over each lump of his spine before dipping down his lower back along the curve of his ass. Something even softer came to his throat, moving against the taunt muscles of his neck that was still craned towards the fire. The lips gave way to teeth that chewed with foreplaying affection that quickly shifted to want. There was another at his chest, another at his hips. Their teasing touches didn't bring him back from the surreality of his mind, but his body responded enough to please them. He could feel the pleasure, the pain, but his mind saw it in colors and blurs.

So pretty.

Beauty is fleeting and most often gives way to reality. Reality is cruel, but you can't live in the rainbow dream land forever. Perhaps that is the afterlife. A rainbow dream land where all you do is float around in the colors, playing with them, loving them, becoming them. Reality however is a harsh wake up call. When Deidara woke up and was fully aware of his body again, he found himself in it, bruised, hickyed and gnawed on. Thrust back into the nights of his past, not knowing where he was when he woke up or how he got there. Where he was was answered quickly, recognizing the walls of the bunks in Daichi's garage. He was not in his bunk though, but in a tangle of arms and sleeping bodies that appeared to have been thrown all together on the bed.

How he got there was easily answered as well. Dark eyes full of disappointment and promise of punishment looked down at him from the face of Daichi waiting patiently for him to wake up. Those eyes told him that those rainbow dreams were not as amazing in reality, that they tampered heavily with reality and there was always a consequences to flirt with an alternate reality that your mind is in but your body is not. Daichi had not been with the surreality of his mind, but with the physicality of his body and he had not liked what he'd seen.


	5. Chapter 5

If he could build a space ship to fly away into cyberspace and run from his mind he would, but that was impossible for him to do. When he was young, he remembered playing make believe with the children in his neighborhood, then standing back and realizing just how foolish their games were. A cardboard box and trashcan could not take them to the moon and it was impossible to dig to China. His books proved this to him and he stopped playing make believe. The childishness of his mind stepped into the thirsty knowledge of a boy who saw the world with numbers and letters instead of colors. He forgot about flying to the moon or creating a hover board until he had gone to a birthday party that took place at a Go-Kart track.

His first time driving... He had flown to the moon.

The numbers and letters did not dissolve, but he could reason with them. He loved to drive, loved the cars. The moment he got home from that party he had dove headlong into his books to learn how they worked, learn what made them go. What had they been missing when they had tried to make their own machines? He discovered them and how they worked and how they were put together and how to make them better. He worked hard to make money on his own, not wanting to accept the money his mother offered to him without earning it himself. When he was sixteen he bought his first car along with his license. It was old and run down, but he recognized it's quality and brought it home, saving up more to buy parts to fix the car.

It was this car now that he flew in, racing away from life. Land and cities flew by him in the large circle he was making. He didn't go far because he was leashed to the building he'd left behind, but he needed time away to think. He had done a lot of thinking in those buildings the passed few weeks, but it was the thoughts of scholars and doctors that were not his own. He could not think his own thoughts at school so his wallet and keys had been grabbed and his phone left behind in his room, giving the school the dust from the tires of the Mazda.

What had he expected?

Itachi jerked up the emergency brake and drifted to a half turned stop on the side of the road. He was being stupid. Why should he be so angry and hurt that his white knuckled hands on the steering wheel shook?

Instead of dialing him with direct video when he finally woke up on Saturdays, Deidara had called him around eleven. Instead of the normal happy, though sleepy voice greeting him 'good morning', Deidara sounded hesitant and unsure. Instead of hearing about Milkshake or some ridiculous concoction he had thought up, he heard about his birthday party. He had expected something crazy – this was Deidara after all and it was Halloween, but he hadn't really expected the tale he heard told in the most uncomfortable tone Itachi had every heard. Daichi had told him to call, he was sure. Deidara was hard to predict, but Itachi knew he would tell him eventually when pretending nothing happened got too much for him to hold in, but Daichi would have wanted him to inform him right away. Deidara had even apologized to him, but Itachi assured him that everything was fine. He understood. He forgave him.

Did he?

Did he really understand?

Yes, he did. Deidara's life was like that. Literally living 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll', that teenagers with their noses buried in The Rolling Stones and other underground music, wishing for the life of the misunderstood artist that seem so free in their lives. Even Deidara wouldn't down play his life when asked. As a whole it was hard and miserable, but Deidara enjoyed the freedom that few living it could see. He couldn't ask the blond to change his lifestyle for him. He liked him because of who he was, not what he could be under all that rough, mischievous personality. When he had left for school, he had to remind himself, he didn't expect Deidara to even try to act like a normal companion.

But he was trying.

Itachi crossed his arms over the steering wheel and pressed his eyes against the curves of his arm. He had and he didn't know about it. Deidara could have been fucking his own brother for all he knew along with all his customers, using the money for his drugs, his drinks, his clothes, his life. He had never known that he had been trying to stop. How could he be so unobservant? Now that he looked back, he could see Deidara's face, how he hid the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep with make up, how he seemed thinner when they slept together in Itachi's bed in the dorm. How he'd been smoking more, eating more around him. Without his asking, he was trying to change his lifestyle for him, but it was affecting his health.

But the news of his failure, of the acts of his birthday made Itachi's stomach churn and nausea wash over him and his chest tighten painfully. Deidara wasn't injured, but if he had been there, those people wouldn't have put his hands on him. Deidara wouldn't have been drugged up after being clean for what sounded like several weeks and he wouldn't be feeling this way.

It's done. It's done. It's in the past, you can't change it.

Getting out of his car, he wandered across the gravel of the side of the road to the old rails overgrown with vegetation and started walking. He felt selfish to let his own feelings get hurt when Deidara obviously felt uncomfortable with himself for what he'd allowed done to him. Daichi didn't need to make him tell him, Deidara would have done it on his own eventually. His voice telling him what happened echoed in his head as he walked. His tone had been scared and nervous, unsure and shaky. Like a child worried that his parents would tell him they didn't want him anymore for breaking his mother's favorite vase because he was jumping on the sofa like he wasn't supposed to. Deidara was as new to this as he was and he expected him to react badly because of what he'd done. He had heard the relief in his voice when he forgave him with his words.

Forgave with his words.

His footsteps paused, thinking of that line. Had he just forgiven him with his words? Was he angry with him so that he wouldn't honestly forgive him and he would bring it up on some later date to throw back at the blond's face? No... that was selfish and immature. Deidara had apologized, seeking his forgiveness and he would give it to him. He didn't want to hurt Deidara. He cared for him more then he did his car. Cared for him like he did his mother and brother. Perhaps he loved him, but how could he be sure? Maybe he was just foolish. Deidara could walk all over him if he wanted to and Itachi felt he would let him.

Yes. He forgave him. With his words and more. When he saw Deidara in person again, he would hug him tight and tell him how much he cared for him. He never told him that, had he? He smiled to himself as he thought of the expression Deidara would have on his face, flustered and embarrassed even if he told him so in public, trying to push it off that he didn't care that he told him that, his blue eyes wide, but trying hard not to look happy. He hoped that would be his reaction.

The sun was setting, casting shadows that would send anyone with too big of an imagination into a full panic. Itachi had no fear of his mind, he had been sitting on the tracks long enough to recognize the shadows for what they were. A bush instead of the creeping monster it appeared to be. He heard the trees rustling in the wind and not someone unknown stalking closer. Right now, under the moon, looking at the glittering stars, Itachi was at peace. Seeing the stars like this put his mind at rest. The last time he had seen them so beautiful, they ha been reflecting in Deidara's eyes on the mountain top. The blond had been so beautiful that night. Itachi closed his eyes to watch the spidery red lights on the black of his eye lids before standing. It was time to head back.

He walked the train tracks with a casual step, looking at his dark shadow from the pale light of the moon. The small pebbles between the old, but solid planks of wood crunched under his feet. Deidara was precious to him. Like his mother and brother. He would never leave him if he had apologized. And he had.

Kisame had probably turned his phone off in frustration. Maybe Deidara tried to call him, panicking after the first two tries because no one was answering the phone left on his bed. He'd call back, but only let it ring once before hanging up. Wanting to know, yet not at the same time. Poor Deidara. He hadn't wanted him to panic like that. It was time to head back.

The moon came out from behind the clouds when he reached the phantom looking care on the side of the road. This would be a good place to kill someone, he mused as he beeped the alarm off. Sitting down in the soft driver's seat that molded into his backside and shoulders from the years of use, he almost turned in and hurried back to the dorms when something in the brush caught the moon light and glimmered. He stared over at its unmoving shine from the captured light of the moon. It disappeared and came back as the trees move in the light breeze.

What is that?

Getting out of the car, he tucked his keys back into his pocket and started towards the strange glowing object. Was the moon playing tricks with his eyes now? He was like a moth drawn to its demise by the hypnotic glow of the light bulb. Did moths know the lights were dangerous when they attacked it? Did they know that the heat would sting their feet and singe their wings? Would his wings get singed as well because he couldn't control the curious urges of his mind. He was not a cat, his thirst for reasoning explanations would not get him killed.

When his foot steps paused, hand reaching out to push away the hanging branch, his eyes widened.

No way...

The dark blue pick up truck pulled up next to the tiny black car owned by Kisame's quiet roommate. He glanced around the deserted area overgrown from lack of visitors. What in the world had drawn Itachi here? Kisame ran his hand through his blue dyed hair, glancing around for the brunette.

"Hey."

He turned towards the voice, always quiet with his thoughts turned inward. The greeting voice was still the same, but there was a difference in it that he rarely heard. The only time he ever heard it was when he was on the phone with his crazy blond boyfriend. Seriously crazy. Kisame loved when Deidara came over. He couldn't place how it was possible that the two of them were together. Itachi was so stoic, calm, quiet and a studyholic, but Deidara was eccentric, loud, rude and the most impatient person he'd ever seen. Maybe they connected because they balanced each other out...

Whatever. Kisame wasn't in the mood to contemplate the relationship his roommate was in.

"So what did you call me out here for?" he asked, still startled by the barely noticeable excitement in his voice.

"Come here," Itachi ordered, motioning him over the weedy tracks to the brushes. Under the trees, hidden by the over hanging branches was a dark mass. From the way the light hit it, it looked like metal. A car perhaps.

Tired of squinting, Kisame went back to his car to get his flashlight, muttering about vampire sight. How could Itachi see anything out here? With the artificial light to aid him, Kisame looked over the scrap of metal again.

It was indeed a car. A sports car to be exact. Didn't look more then a few years old. The windows were busted and the inside was full of leaves, acorns and dried rain water. The tires looked ruined and the front end was still smashed into the tree as it had when the accident happened. There was rust on the metal doors and the hood. Closer investigation showed him the symbol made by the three diamonds with their tips connected.

"Mitsubishi," Kisame commented with a slight nod of approval.

"It's an Evo," Itachi told him, examining closer himself with the light he had now.

"Really? Shit. Nice," Kisame looked at it again in mocking awe then looked at Itachi again. "Dude, this things ready for the junk yard."

"I want it," Itachi told him, running his fingers over the metal framed roof.

His face contorted slightly as he looked at the brunette. He wanted to same this piece of shit? For what? What could he do for it? Itachi must have seen his expression because his red tinted eyes shifted just slightly with the corners of his mouth. He was almost smiling. Smiling like the damn Mona Lisa painting... that wasn't really smiling, but was at the same time. Shaking his head, Kisame shrugged and went back to the car to get the cables to pull it back to school. They had to go very slow so the didn't damage the bottom of the already damaged car. The headlights of the Mazda trailed not far behind him in the dark.

"Wrong number. 'Deidara' comes one after 'Daichi'."

"I was going to leave a message," Itachi said into his phone, ignoring the sarcasm of the mechanic. It was very late, he hadn't wanted to wake the Mura's, but apparently they were still awake.

"Don't bother, I don't check them," Daichi told him. "What's going on?"

"I was wondering if you could order a few parts for me," Itachi said, then started reading the list he had made sitting mechanical garage in the school. Kisame had helped him for a little while, but he had been certain that the car was beyond help and went back to his room, probably to go to sleep.

"Are you rebuilding your Mazda?" Daichi asked with a snort. "You know those engine pieces won't fit well. It's more designed for a car like—"

"An Evo?" Itachi's mouth curved upwards in a slight grin. Slight.

The pause on the other end made him give a real grin. He could see the amused smile on Daichi's face as he spoke. "What have you got hiding up there, Uchiha? Something for me?"

Itachi sat down on the bench, looking over the pale paint and rust hood of his new car. "I'm your tool on the road, aren't I?" he said, looking over at his list to make sure he didn't need anything else.

"No, you're not," Daichi said with a chuckle. "What'd you find?"

"Someone crashed it into a tree and left it to rust," Itachi told him, twirling his pen in his fingers. "It's pretty banged up, but workable. It just needs a bit of everything."

"Evo?"

"Eight."

"Damn," he heard him laughing softly on the other end. "Yeah, I'll get your parts, man. You want me to send them to the school or here and you'll pick them up?"

"Send the engine parts to me, I want to make sure that's workable before I do the fancy stuff," Itachi told him, rising and began pacing around his new possession.

"You'll get it as soon as possible," Daichi assured him. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks."

Itachi dropped his phone back into his pocket and continued to circle the car. It really was in good shape except for the busted sides, twisted front and missing windows. He knew it looked horrible, but he could see potential in it. He could work with this. Daichi had taught him far more then he could have picked up from a book. After everything was built up, Deidara could paint it for him. That would be an amusing argument. Deidara would want it to be as bright as possible with designs and shapes all over it. Something that big would need attention. Itachi though would want it plain, black. A car like this didn't need fancy colors to get people's attention. He could practically hear the blond's complaining of how 'boring' that would be.

Deidara...

A smile that had been developing at the thought, dropped as he looked down at his phone. Nine missed calls. Two texts. One voice mail that said nothing. Pressing the button on his phone, he held the receiver to his ear to listen to it again. The silent recorded message was not quite silent. There were no words, but he could hear Deidara's soft breathing and the sounds of passing cars. Deidara was sitting out on the fire escape. The rustling and crackling of stiff paper and plastic. The familiar sound of a lighter and the flare of the tip of a cigarette. He was almost out by the sound of the extra crackling of package. The blond couldn't think of anything to say to him. His text that came in before his voice mail read 'r u mad' and another ten minutes later that said 'sorry'.

Closing his phone, Itachi rest his head in his hands, fingers rubbing against the upper lids of his eyes, watching the white pressure glows on the back of his eye lids. He should call him. Assure him that he truly wasn't angry at him. The blond was beating himself up about it by the sound of his voice mail. He wanted to fly home and hold him close. Wanting to wrap his arms around the petite, but strong body and keep him safe from all the problems and pain of Deidara's world. Hide in the third bunk up on the old lumpy mattress under the blankets where no one could bother them and he could fall in the warmth of his body. He wanted to kiss him, tell him how much he

how much

he

loved him.

The head mistress smiled at him as he entered her office early the next morning. Her wavy blond hair was pinned tightly into a bun at the back of her head, her foreign shaped blue eyes scanned over the page in front of her again before she made a mark on it and pushed her glasses down her nose to look at him.

"Good morning, Mr. Uchiha," she greeted, taking the glasses off and folding her hands together over her desk. She motioned for him to take a seat. "What can I do for you?"

Sitting down, Itachi gave her a brief smile and a nod before beginning, "last night I found an old car that had been abandoned and rusted over. I would like to ask your permission to keep it in the school's mechanical garage so that I may fix it up in my spare time."

"I didn't know you were interested in cars," she said with a smile. "Students who wish to bring their own cars in to work on are required to pay space rent. You have my permission to use the garage, but you need to speak to the head of the technology department to make sure there's a space for you."

Itachi nodded and wrote down the number and name she gave him. The two of them talked for a few minutes more about Itachi's new car. The headmistress obviously didn't know much about cars, but listened intently and asked intelligent questions. She was familiar to Itachi, but he couldn't place where he'd seen her before. She was a very proper woman. Her clothes were neatly pressed and her hands were perfectly manicured. Everything about her screamed high class. He wondered what had made someone who looked like they came from a prestigious family was doing in a different country teaching subjects in law. He knew she was married, but he didn't know her married name. She had gotten her professional license under her maiden name and kept it now as well. There was a rumor in the school that she was married to one of the teachers in the school, but no one had enough time, or cared enough to figure out who. She also had a daughter, but Itachi couldn't see the child's face in the photographs on the table that faced towards the desk's occupant.

Kisame met him on his way to the Technology wing and forced him to eat breakfast with him. His roommate had a huge pile of eggs, bacon and waffles, even a bit of sausage and a muffin. Itachi just had a single waffle and a muffin. He did enjoy his roommate. Kisame knew how to let him be and have his peace, but took care of him at the same time. He didn't badger him for things, but made sure he remembered important things like food. Not that he would ever admit to it, but Itachi did enjoy spending time with Kisame. Itachi learned while they ate that Kisame knew a bit about working on cars too. Well, Kisame preferred trucks to cars, but he was curious to learn more about what Itachi knew.

Itachi explained what he was planning to do before the parts he order. He needed to take the whole car apart and sand down the frame of the car, put new pieces on and rebuild the engine. He showed Kisame the list he made of all the parts he was going to get in, explaining what they did. He was sure Kisame had never heard him talk so much, and he was sure that Kisame would never hear him talk like this again.

The next four and a half weeks were spent studying and taking his tests, then heading right to the garage to work on his new car. Kisame helped at times, as did the head of Technology department. He loved working on the cars. It was the hobby he had when others thought he didn't. At times he contemplated going back to the city to work for Daichi in his garage instead of finishing school and working in law. Perhaps he could do both. He missed racing and working on cars with the others. With everything he was doing, he had forgotten about the things he had wanted to do before he left to drive home for the holidays. Because of the summer classes, the students were allowed to spend nearly all of December to mid January. He would get to spend all that time with his family and friends.

He was practically bouncing in his seat when he pulled through the city. Who to see first? Daichi? His mother? Sasuke? Deidara? Oh, why couldn't they all be in the same place at once? If he saw someone first would someone else be mad?

Er... maybe he should see his mother first.

"Oh baby!"

Okay, maybe he should have seen someone else first.

"I'm so happy to see you, Itachi," Mikoto crooned, giving her son a tight warming hug when she opened the door and saw him standing there. He even got himself to hug her back. He did miss her a lot. Phone calls weren't as rewarding as face to face conversations.

"It's good to see you as well, mother," Itachi told her, giving her a hug back.

He was dragged into the kitchen and pushed into a chair. Mikoto began complaining about how he looked so underfed and began making him a chicken salad sandwich. She asked him about school and what he was doing even though Itachi had called her every week to tell her about it. Despite that he had eaten before he came, he finished off two sandwiches. Her food was always amazing.

"Kisame sound like a good friend," Mikoto told him, resting her chin in her hands. "Sasuke has been secretly dying to see you. He shrugs it off when I speak to him about it, but he's been marking off the days until you come home on his calender. Don't tell him I know, he thinks he's being sneaky."

Itachi gave a brief smile, glancing at the clock. Sasuke would be coming home from school soon. He couldn't wait to see his brother and his cousin was there as well, hopefully he could see her as well. They were both in high school now... the same high school that Deidara went too.

"Have you spoken to Deidara?" his mother asked, interrupting his thoughts. "He hasn't come over to visit in a long time."

"No... I haven't had a chance to call him," Itachi admitted, staring down at the counter top. "I should go see him."

"You should," she said with a frozen smile. "You should take him something."

Itachi paused and looked up at her, confused by her expression. "What is it mother?" he asked, sitting up a little straighter.

Mikoto wiped the counter carefully, then looked up at Itachi. "Sasuke says that Deidara hasn't looked good in school," she told him. "His teachers have sent him to the nurse even though he still tries to stay in class."

"You mean he's sick?" he asked her, sliding off the stool to the solid tile floor. "You haven't seen him?"

"No, dear, not since before his birthday," Mikoto said, going to the fridge and pulled out a small container of chicken salad. "Why don't you take this to him, I'm sure he doesn't get a home cooked meal at home."

"Yeah, yeah... I will..." Itachi said, taking it from her and turned to the door, hurrying out, despite her call to him. In the car and onto the road as fast as he could.

Deidara.

Deidara...

He forgot to call Deidara.

He had been so busy with the car and school work, he forgot to call Deidara back. All that time. Deidara must have been out of his mind. All that time... Deidara had been waiting for some news from him, some idea that he wasn't mad at him and hadn't just said that he forgave him. The familiar parking lot of the school came into view faster then normal with his speeding. He parked as quickly as he could and ran inside.

School was letting out soon. What was Deidara's last class? Why couldn't he remember it? He remembered the blond telling him about his classes. The best were last. The best were last... Itachi ran down the halls, not sure of where he should go until the last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. The hallways filled quickly with students running to the buses and their lockers. Where was his boyfriend? His eyes caught a girl carrying a creation made of wood down the halls to show her friends. A little gum ball machine she'd made in Tech Ed.

Tech Ed. Turning on his heel, he hurried down the hallway where she had come from to the technology wing and stared over the heads of the students. The heads of black, red, brown and dry dyed blond passed him, but it wasn't until the natural golden blond shown through the ocean that Itachi pushed them away. He didn't bother with the protests of those he pushed away.

"Deidara!"

Tired looking blue eyes looked up as he came closer, widening in shock as Itachi's black suede sleeves wrapped around him, crushing him tight and close. He pulled him outside the doors and away from the crowd, pressing the blond against the walls away from the trampling feet around them. His nose buried in the curve of the pale skin of his neck, blinded by the hair in his eyes. Deidara felt tiny in his arms. Thinner, more fragile then the last time he had seen him. His shoulders were small and his waist was so tiny. His hair wasn't as shiny and clean as it use to be.

"I—Itachi..."

"Shhh..." he whispered softly. "Shh... I'm so sorry, Deidara. I'm sorry I didn't call you back."

Deidara's hands slid around his sides and held him uncertainly, he could feel them shaking. Deidara had shushed like he wanted, but now he wasn't sure if that was what he wanted. He wanted him to talk, to be happy like he had when he last saw him. To bubble over with words that only half made sense, but he was silent against him, his hands ever so slowly getting tighter around him. It was the same embrace he remembered, but so frightened, so tired and small.

When he finally pulled away, so he could look down at him, the school around them was empty. He brushed Deidara's hair off his face and smiled down at him. His chipped finger nailed hands reached up to touch his face, Itachi held still for him as Deidara ran his fingers over his cheek and around his shoulders, pulling him down against him. "I'm sorry, Itachi," he croaked out. "I'm sorry... I didn't want that to happen, I didn't want to do that to you."

"I told you that I forgave you already," Itachi reminded him, kissing his forehead softly. Taking his hand, he walked him back to his car and let him sit in the passenger seat before getting in the driver side. He pause reaching for the ignition and turned to Deidara, pulling him over the console to him, holding him tightly. He kissed him softly, massaging his lips against Deidara's as his hands held him close.

"I thought you were mad at me," Deidara whispered against his lips. "You didn't call..."

"I told you I forgave you... I could never be mad at you," Itachi told him. It was true... How could he be mad at him? It wasn't his fault that he was away so much. It wasn't his fault that the people around him were horrible amoral people. "Why are you pushing yourself so hard? You don't look so good..."

"I'm fine, un," Deidara assured him, nestling himself against him.

"Dei, you look like you haven't eaten in days... haven't slept in days..." he opened his mouth to continue, but just shook his head. "My mom wants you to eat this."

He handed Deidara the container of chicken salad and watched him open it and glance away from him. He watched him pick at it before eating it with his fingers. He was hungry. Itachi reached over and played with Deidara's hair while he ate. He would be spending as much time with Deidara as he could while he was here, he'd make him happy again, make him healthy. "You quit your drugs," Itachi said, running the pad of his thumb over his cheek.

The blond head nodded, casting the blue eyes up at him. "I didn't want to be so incoherent... you don't like it when I take stuff, un," he reminded him.

"But you've suffered," Itachi murmured, running his hands over his cheek. "Lets go home... the apartment or Daichi's?"

"Daichi's," Deidara said, settling back against the passenger seat, knees drawn up to his chest.

Daichi looked up when the two of them walked in, greeting Itachi as he cleaned his hands of the oil that never quite came clean until the end of the day with a good scrubbing. Itachi shook his hand anyway, grinning at the mechanic. Everything looked the same as he had left it. There were new lifts, a few new faces looking down at them curiously from the second floor. Itachi regarded them silently before giving his attention back to Daichi.

"We're going to take advantage of the bunks," Itachi told him as Deidara walked passed them to slip through the door of the living area. Once the door shut, he turned to Daichi. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" the mechanic questioned with an air of innocence.

"You know perfectly well what," Itachi said, pointing after Deidara.

Daichi turned and went back to the Honda he had been working on. A bubble of anger came rushing up Itachi's throat. Why had no one told him? Why had Daichi done nothing? Deidara had looked sick. Exhausted... but he had done nothing. Just as he hadn't when the blond had come home and passed out in pain on the floor. Where was his justification? Daichi had raised Deidara was eight and he couldn't find it in himself to help the blond?

The respect he had for the mechanic suddenly didn't matter. Their friendship didn't matter. The faces staring down wide eyed at the man going against Daichi didn't matter. Itachi was angrier then he ever remembered being. His anger exploded out, striking the back of Daichi's head with a blow that made his knuckles sting. He had never struck someone in anger before. Itachi usually suppressed that anger in hopes of not acting like his father. Actions derived from anger are irrational, but even though part of his mind flashed in horror at what he'd done, another felt rationalized. Daichi deserved it and was long out due for someone to stand against his actions.

A collection of gasped sucked the air out of the room as Daichi stumbled, his expression a mixture of pain and shock. No one fought with Daichi. The demeanor the mechanic carried was always like a harbor. The water was calm on the surface, but a raging current underneath. Even if nothing visual hinted towards it, something about the blue haired mechanic that warned others that he was a force to be feared and respected. Itachi had felt it as well, but never witnessed the hidden rage until now. Coal dark eyes turned to fixate on him. Angry eyes that could kill you with a thought. He hadn't seen eyes looking at him like that in nearly a year. Eyes that were ready to slaughter the fool in their path, but Itachi didn't back down from his father last he saw them. He didn't back down now from Daichi.

"How do you think you're going to take care of your daughter when you can't even take care of him?" Itachi snapped before storming to the door Deidara had disappeared through earlier. Cowardly, but he didn't want to fight Daichi.

As with the rest of the garage, the bunk room hadn't changed much. A few bunks that had been vacant and bare now had a lived in look to them. The bunk on the top row he'd slept in for three months around this time last year was empty, but he could hear water running in the bathroom of to the side. Deidara was probably freshening up. As though Itachi really cared. Deidara was so unbelievably cute without meaning to be some times.

Pulling himself up the ladder to slip into Deidara's bed, Itachi sank into the lumpy mattress with a sigh. Deidara only made his bed when he washed his blankets. Running his hands over the comforter he knew Deidara had either not slept in the garage since he last washed them or just hadn't slept.

So much studying and he was using his profiling skills on his boyfriend.

The ladder creaked as weight was put on it. Itachi looked down and watched the blond with a damp towel over his shoulders climb into the bunk. Reaching out, Itachi caught the strands that shimmered gold with the water caught in it. Deidara held still for him, sitting up instead of lying next to him.

He was still worried about being pushed away.

"Take your shirt off," Itachi told him, watching grow very still then did what he asked. He wanted to see the damaged he had caused, even though Deidara was obviously embarrassed about it.

Sitting up, Itachi reached out to place his fingers gently on his shoulder. The bones were unnaturally visible, each bump and ridge that his fingers laid on. His collar bone, his chest and ribs. His hips were too visible, wrists too thin. Everything was too thin. He couldn't believe how thin he was. He couldn't believe how malnourished he was. He looked like he was going to snap and crumble if he touched him the wrong way. He was so horrible...

Burying his face in Deidara's stomach, Itachi clung to his frail body, feeling the bones of his ribs and the ridges of his spine. Deidara's hands rest on his shoulders, sliding up his neck to his hair, rubbing over his scalp with gentle hands. Neither of them said anything. Itachi couldn't believe what he'd done to Deidara. How had that car and school taken so much time? How had he forgotten him? Deidara had gotten sick from it. He looked as though he were living off cigarettes and car fumes since his birthday. Probably not that bad, but he had no idea what he had gone through.

"I'm going to take care of you," Itachi told him. "I can't stand seeing you like this. I'm so sorry, Deidara..."

"It's alright," he whispered back. "I'm happy you're back."

"Me too," Itachi told him, lifting his head up to look at him, petting his hair. Lying back down on the bed, he pulled Deidara down on him. Shifting the comforter out from under them and over their bodies. Engulfed in the darkness, their limbs entwined and began lost in the warmth they shared. Itachi couldn't stop touching him, feeling his skin, breathing his scent. With Deidara's face pressed against his chest, he could feel him smiling. He was happy. It made Itachi happy. Their clothes were lost in the blankets, but neither of their touches were sexual. They just wanted to be together, be able to touch as much as they could.

"Deidara..." Itachi whispered softly. "I think I love you."

The blond's movements still next to him, staring at Itachi in the dark. He knew it wasn't something Deidara was comfortable hearing. He touched his cheek and gave him a kiss. A softy one moving across the blond's lips still tasting like toothpaste from his quick wash up. "I'm sorry... I do."

"It's okay," Deidara murmured back.

Their tangle continued. Itachi knew words like those were not something Deidara enjoyed thinking on. It was a weakness to him. Something that could be used against him. Itachi understood that. He didn't expect Deidara to respond to him, he just wanted him to know. He didn't expect him to return his affection. He just wanted him to be with him. Just this moment.

Just this moment. Just with him. No worries. No care...

Alone together in the darkness.


	6. Holiday

"Holy shit, Itachi. I can't eat anymore."

Itachi never thought he'd hear those words from the blond. Ever.

Naturally he suspected lies.

"I think you can eat more."

"Itachi... I've eaten three burgers, my fries, your fries, chicken nuggets, noodles, an orange, two pears and pudding and you want me to eat more?" Deidara cried, throwing his hands up. "Are you trying to make me sick iand/i fat?"

Itachi stared at him in disbelief. Had he eaten that much? It hadn't seemed like it. He still looked so thin. Actually he looked rather sick, chewing his food like his mouth was tired. He looked again at what they'd ordered for the blond, double taking on it. Maybe that had been too much. Deidara's metabolism was frustratingly fast, but he hadn't seen much change in him since he came home.

"Sorry, Dei," he said, reeling in the food Nazi in him. Four days ago, Itachi had come and fell back to the blond. The mishaps forgotten, the two of them had slipped into a pattern similar to when Itachi was still in senior high. Deidara loathed school now because it took time away from Itachi. The brunette always picked him up from school every day and took him to a café where they could get coffee and do Deidara's homework. Well, Deidara did his homework, Itachi watched to make sure everything was correct. He couldn't believe how well he was doing, praising the blond who's face grew smugger each time. He even got Deidara to the point where his ego was so big from the praise of his knowledge that he would be discuss things that would be normally labeled as 'boring'. After they finished, they normally went to the Uchiha house for dinner. Itachi wasn't surprised that his cousin, brother and boyfriend got along so well. Both Saya and Sasuke liked hearing about the life he led – totally engrossed in his stories, which only made Deidara talk more.

From what he could see Sasuke's young mind only heard the fantasies his mind wanted, like Deidara's life was an adventure, appealing to the younger generation that deemed itself misunderstood in their transition from youth to adulthood. He was hearing a world where being different was looked up to. Free of worldly possessions and cares, full instead of music, dancing and the kind of life an actor leads while preforming in a movie. What he didn't seem to realize was the things their father told them about the 'city kids' was true. It was hard to make an adolescent realize that they weren't actors and couldn't step out of the scene when the script took a turn for the unpleasant. Itachi had seen the flipped side of play by play scenes. The starvation, the pain, the sickness. No matter how strong willed you were there was always a time when you had to ignore your ego and scrape on the concrete for a taste of what you need.

Saya listened with the same rapt attention, but her questions were far less fantasized. His cousin was interested in rights, communities and protests. He remembered her at a young age cutting out clippings from newspapers about animal cruelty, police brutality and poverty. Itachi almost laughed aloud as his memories drifted to a younger Saya forcing her brother and himself to run a lemonade stand in hopes of raising enough money to keep the humane society from putting down animals if they were not adopted. Had they been any other questions, Deidara would have been bored easily, but Saya was asking the right ones, questioning the community of the city's underground occupants the city only paid attention to if they did something wrong.

Deidara's stories were laced with the dancing, the clubs, the art. He told them about the graffiti murals the police tried to stop them from making, even though each one had the makings of being beautiful. Stories laced with drugged hallucinations and outsmarting cops, leaving them reeling in their imaginations, dazed for hours with the pictures he put in their heads after the two boys left the house. After dinner they either worked at Daichi's together, raced or whatever else came to mind that night.

There was a few frustrated clicks at his side as they stepped out into the cold December afternoon unheated by the Saturday sun above them. The soft crackle of burning leaves and paper, the soft inhale and slow exhale. "Let's go running," Itachi suggested hopefully as he turned to watch Deidara put the cigarette to his lips.

The look on the blond's face answered the question before the words came out of his mouth. "I hate running," came the grumble. "It's too cold. Isn't it unhealthy to run in the cold weather?"

"Smoking's unhealthy for you too," Itachi reminded him, but he knew Deidara was going to react that way. He hated exercise.

"I've seen you smoke before," Deidara said in his addiction's defense.

Itachi watched the smoke curl in it's dance to freedom with the clouds above that looked as though they wanted to rain or snow. "Nicotine is addictive," he muttered. "I smell you smoking it all the time." It was cold though. Itachi glanced down at his own felt jacket and scarf then at Deidara's hoodie. The one he always wore like a second skin. A line appeared between Itachi's brows as he examined him. He needed a real coat. And gloves. And a scarf. And...

"Alright, well lets go," Itachi said, motioning across the street. "There's something I want to get at the store." He ignored the 'you like clothes shopping, you're so gay' look from Deidara knowing full well Deidara liked clothes shopping as well and was much better at it then he was. He had gotten frustrated several times with his own bland choice of clothing which had consisted of pants, jeans and t shirts until Deidara took him out to repair his abused wardrobe. Itachi really did hate shopping for himself, but he enjoyed shopping for Deidara which was an entirely different experience. The blond looked good everything which made it easy. He remembered with a smile that wide, cheek splitting grin he was given when he asked what style clothes Deidara liked to wear.

'Cheap,' Deidara had replied. Itachi hadn't understood it at first, but learned it very fast. Growing up around money all his life, his three months stuck in Daichi's apartment last year had been a cultural shock. Watching and learning how these people survived with little or no money. Many of Deidara's 'new' clothes were actually old clothes he had torn up and resown after they were of no use anymore.

Itachi pretended not to notice the long thin fingers pocketing a few small items. He wished he would remember that if he wanted the items, Itachi would gladly flash his card for him. Many of the trinkets didn't look like something Deidara would wear; perhaps he was planning on selling them. He couldn't help but watch him out of the corner of his eye. His hands were skilled at picking. Itachi could barely see the item disappearing from the shelf to the front pocket of the hoodie. It was as fascinating as watching a magician playing with a pack of cards.

It took effort to stop watching him. His own hands, not nearly as graceful, reached up and picked out a long thick scarf with bright green and purple threads. Following it was two pairs of gloves, one sec green, one set pink, specifically chosen for Deidara's mismatching fun. Next he picked out a black hat with white skulls knit in with tassels hanging from the ear flaps and a bundle of black and white braids of fabric protruding from the top like a small child's pony tail.

A glance back at his shadower saw that Deidara wasn't paying attention. Azure eyes flitted back and forth without being obvious, taking in any associates or customers that might notice his thievery. Itachi could care less if Deidara stole from the horrid, greedy economy, but he didn't want him getting caught. "Could you hold these for me?" Itachi asked, holding out the items he was carrying. Deidara took them from him, tucking his hands in the fabric. He looked a little ashamed, like he knew Itachi was trying to keep his hands to himself.

"What color coat do you want?" Itachi added, mentally bracing himself for the out burst that was sure to follow as Deidara realized Itachi wasn't shopping for himself.

"You don't have to get me anything, un," Deidara insisted with a glare, moving to put the knit materials back, pausing as he looked down at the small armful, really looking at them. 'But I do like them...' his hesitation said.

"I'm only going to come back and buy them alone if you put them back," Itachi reminded him as he wandered over to where rows of different color winter coats hung on display. The navy colored felt button down would look good on him, but it looked plain... Maybe too plain for Deidara's tastes. No, with the scarf, a pair of casual dark jeans and those converse sneakers worn from years of use and sharpie abuse... Goddamn. Deidara was getting that coat. And he was wearing it. Even if it was just in front of Itachi. Moving along the section, he picked up a lime colored snow jacket with a picture of a snowboarder on the tag. Deidara's grumbles were growing louder behind him as he moved down the clothes aisle, picking up turtle necks and sweaters and a few pairs of jeans and a belt with bright blues, yellows and greens in the pattern. The blond looked ready to throw one of his childish fits and storm out when they got to the dressing room.

He could see the words coming out of his throat, muscles tensing to throw his armful down on the ground. Instead of letting him, Itachi took the bundle from him and tugged his hoodie off and hung it up on the gnarly looking hook on the wall. Stopping Deidara's reactions with the scarf wrapping around his neck, he held the coat out for him to put on. The temper mental monster simmered to a grumbling teenager as Deidara made a show of sliding his arms in, each movement making it obvious he didn't want to try the clothes on. Itachi sat on the bench to watch him shift into the coat then twist his body to examine himself in the full length mirror. Itachi's brain hadn't lied to his mental eyes.

"You look really sexy," he blurted out before he could catch himself.

Deidara's eyes widened slightly in the mirror before he turned to face him. Itachi realized with a little hint of guilt that the sentence he blurted was one that he didn't, but should, say more often. He nodded to confirm the blond had heard that right, crossing his legs at his knee to lean back against the wall to watch him. Deidara made a muffled noise in the back of his throat and turned to the mirror to examine himself before shimmying out of his old jeans and reached to pick up one of the new ones.

That was a rather cruel but unintentional gesture. Seeing Deidara with just his shirt and coat was like seeing a lover in your shirt the morning after passionate sex. Deidara had such nice legs for someone who refused to exercise. The new jeans came on, cutting off the fantasies floating in his head. He pouted a little, but let it slip so Deidara wouldn't seen the perversion on his face. The jeans got buttoned and the belt slipped on and Deidara was turning to examine himself again.

"...I do like the belt," he admitted after a pause. "Why are you getting me all this stuff, un?"

Reaching out to grasp the back of the jacket and tugged him over to stumble onto his lap. "Two reasons," he told him. "One, because if you don't feel cold you'd have no excuse for not running with me. And two... because I promised you something."

"Promised me what?" Deidara asked, giving him a dirty look about the running.

"I promised to take you to a resort, didn't I?" Itachi reminded him. "Because I couldn't make it to your birthday. My family use to go up to this place when I was a kid and I checked it out. Still there and covered in snow."

"Snow already?" he saw him grin.

"Mhmm. It's like a hotel, but there's skiing and snowboarding, tubing, hot springs, comfy beds..."

"Alright, fuck! You had me at snow, un," Deidara told him with a grin. "When are we going?"

"Mm... I Was thinking the day after you go on break," Itachi said with a slight shrug, trying hard to stay uncaring and stoic as possible. He was excited for the trip as well.

"Next week?" He loved seeing those blue eyes light up so bright with happiness. It made chills run down his spine.

"How about Friday? You have a half day right? I'll pick you up and we'll head out."

"We're driving? Where is it?"

"We're flying. The car will stay—"

"Flying? Like in an airplane?" Deidara's eyes were wide with thrill, mouth grinning so much his face should have split in two. His innocent, unaltered excitement made Itachi's thoughts stumble, staring at him all but bouncing on his lap. The urge to grab and kiss the blond nearly overwhelmed him. He had thought Deidara's pout was the cutest expression he could pull on him, but that had been before he saw this one.

"I've always wanted to go flying!"

Deidara's voice snapped Itachi out of his trance. "It's just like driving in a car," Itachi told him, not wanting him to be disappointed on the flight. Anything to keep his excitement up, so his expression would stay like that.

"But in the air, un!"

"Yeah," Itachi replied, unable to hold back the grin. "Lets go pay for the stuff and go to your place."

He wanted Deidara slide off him, giving a curious frown to his statement. "It's gonna be real cold, you know," he was warned. That wasn't new. Deidara's apartment was like sleeping outside in a tent without the fire close by the give some warmth in the winter and without a breeze in the summer. Itachi wouldn't mind tonight. He hadn't been there in a while anyway.

"I have my human heater," Itachi told him, leading him out into the main floor of the store to take their things to pay. He was pleased that, despite the blond's protests over the new clothes, he wore the coat and scarf out of the store, stuffing his hoodie into the bag with the rest of his new things.

An airplane!

Really flying!

Deidara was so overwhelmed with excitement, he felt like he took seven too many scoops of sugar in his coffee this morning. He had always wanted to fly. Always wanted to see the world with the bird's eye view that wasn't hindered by his feet on a building. He knew it wasn't going to be the same feeling of flying as a bird could feel, Itachi had been carefully trying to explain that to him so he wouldn't be upset or disappointed, but it was still flying. Would they go through clouds? Maybe a storm? Would they fly above the clouds where there was no hinder of street lights and glares to the sky above? If they went at night, would they see more stars then anyone on the ground could see? He could barely wait until school was over so he could find out.

Thankfully most of his teachers felt the same way their students did about the half day before the school let out for the winter break. Honestly, who would want to do work when half the student body was either away, or had skipped. Five hours of shortened classes and Deidara could barely wait to get out. Five pointless hours. He could be packing – wait... he'd already packed. He could be talking to Itachi – he glanced down at his phone as it gave a soft jingle to show he had a text message; he was already talking to Itachi. He could be on his way to a week of snow fun with Itachi. There no excuses for that one. Stupid school.

Itachi's texts were slower then normal today, he must be doing something like last minute touches to his car, or being harassed by the women in his house on what to pack. All day Deidara scribbled quick doodles on his papers, picking at the chipping polish on his nails and willing the clock to be twelve thirty-five. Itachi would be waiting outside for him

He had informed Daichi of his upcoming absence, cheerfully telling him that they were flying. Daichi's reaction, remembering some past event, was to tell him to stop trying to kill himself, using the tone that made it hard to tell if he was being serious or not. Itachi's face had contorted into an expression that concealed pure horror. It was similar to the one Mikoto had given Sasuke the day he came home covered in blood and gravel with the explanation that he was learning to skateboard. Two hours later the majority of the rubble was out of his body and Mikoto was asking Deidara, who'd been laughing on the sofa, to teach her son to skateboard without killing himself. Itachi always seemed to find a reason to panic when Deidara wasn't in his immediate vision or within driving distance away. The brunette always forgot that Deidara had been taking care of himself for a decade. His skills weren't going to diminish with a few days.

One more hour, goddammit! The clock was fucking with him. It had to be. He could swear he'd been sitting in Art class for an hour instead of the twenty minute the face claimed. He was partially glad it wasn't a full day. He might have cracked and ran out the school by now. All around him was chattering students and the sound of the retro record player streaming old David Bowie from it's speakers. His teacher claimed old records like Bowie, or the Rolling Stones helped her with inspiration and played a new record everyday. She let students wear their own headphones so long as they could hear her over the volume, but Deidara rather liked the music she played.

"Miss. Hostalka?"

"Yes?" his teacher called out to the intercom hanging above her desk.

"Could you send Deidara down to the office with his things please?"

Deidara started in shock from where he'd been bent over his sketchbook sketching the high school up in flames. "What the hell for? I haven't done anything, un!" he snapped before his teacher could reply.

"Now, please," came the amused voice on the other end before the intercom clicked off.

There was a collective snicker around him from his classmates, but he wasn't amused. There was a knot in his stomach he hadn't felt since his first day of school in grade one. He hadn't done anything, he told himself as he rose and took his bag with him, trying to not look as horrified as he felt. By the time he got to the office he was kicking himself in frustration. Half of him was in pure panic wanting to hyperventilate at the same pace as his pounding heart. The other side was chanting to himself that he'd done nothing wrong and even if he had he didn't care. He never cared before, why should he now? Maybe it was because he'd been trying so hard to be good this year, it was getting to his head. Quite certain that every baby hair on his body was standing on end with his overreacting nerves, he shut the door behind himself and stepped up to the desk of the closest secretary.

To his surprise, she looked up at him with a smile and handed him a pink slip of paper. It had his name on it, the date, the time and also a message scrawled after his name that a crease of a frown on his forehead. "'Deidara has permission to leave school early, permission given by guardian on December 17th, 11:27 am,'" he read aloud under his breath. Under the note was an added on sentence that read: 'Not for repetitive use'. There was no trust. "What is this?"

"I couldn't wait."

Twirling on his heel to face the voice, he stared at Itachi as he rose from his cushioned chair. The Uchiha had a grin on his face as he took Deidara's elbow and led him outside. Once they were at the car, Itachi turned to laugh at him softly. "You should have seen the look on your face," he told him, beeping the alarm off his car so they could get in. "I had Daichi call the school to let you out... Did you think you were in trouble or something?"

"Why else would I get called to the office," Deidara grumbled as he got in the car, reaching over to punch Itachi's shoulder as he got in next to him. "Asshole."

Itachi just grinned at him as he put the car in gear and pulled out of the school parking lot. Their first stop was the rundown apartment building where they hurried up to grab Deidara's bag. They were both running, despite the fact that they had plenty of time to get to the airport. Deidara didn't like airport customs. He was sick of showing his ticket and walking through metal detectors that went off every time because of something he forgot or the metal in his body's piercings. By the time they were through and walking to the gate, Deidara's excitement had dropped to being completely pissed off. They weren't even leaving the country for crying out loud. Itachi bought him a coffee to make him feel better as well producing the Nintendo DS Sasuke had so kindly offered to give to Deidara for the trip. Deidara suspected that Sasuke was sucking up to the both of them, but it kept him entertained for the majority of the wait to board the plane.

"Can I have a window seat?" Deidara asked Itachi when they were finally walking down the long hallway that took them above the plane docks to the door of the plane.

"I made sure you got a window seat," Itachi assured him, his hand sliding over Deidara's shoulders to steer him in the direction of their seats.

Itachi had the patience of a mountain and it wasn't until times like this that Deidara saw it. The people in front of them were glancing back to give him dirty looks as he fiddled with every gadget and knobs, slide and fold away. Itachi just smiled at him as he explored their little cubby. Deidara didn't know what half this stuff did, but it was fun to play with. He was thrilled with his window, though it would be so much better if it was bigger. Itachi had picked the best seat for him, where he could see everything coming up looking forward, and when he glanced back he could see the great wings of the plane.

"Are we going up now?" he asked, turning back to Itachi who had a distant smile on his face. "..What?"

"Nothing," Itachi said, waving it off. "We'll go up in a little while. They have to make sure everyone's on the plane and that we wont die when we're in the air. It will be a little while."

Grumbling, Deidara slumped back against Itachi's shoulder and stared out the window at the landing strips before lifting his head to look up at Itachi. "Why do you keep smiling at me like that, un?"

"Just thinking about how cute you look when you get so excited," Itachi admitted, wrapping his arm around Deidara's shoulders to hold him close. "Makes me want to eat you." A light nibbling on his ear made Deidara giggle a little, pulling his feet up on the seat to get comfortable against him. Someone cleared their throat pointedly, obviously disliking their cuddling. As he gave a glare in their direction, Deidara leaned up and kissed Itachi, massaging his own lips against the soft pink ones, noting that the blond was using that strawberry chapstick he had given him. He loved strawberry chapstick.

"It's not nice to bother people," Itachi whispered to him, petting his hair lightly.

"They shouldn't be so homophobic," he grumbled back at him, resting his head on his shoulders. He hated people like that. They needed to get up with the times.

"I know," Itachi whispered to him, kissing the top of his head. "It's a short flight, so we'll be away from them soon. Then we'll have a bus ride to the resort and we can spend every second mocking the homophobic naked in our room."

Laughter burst out of him, sliding his arm around Itachi's shoulder. "You're awfully affectionate lately, un," Deidara commented, ignoring the show of shuffling and throat clearing the people in the aisle next to them.

"I can't help it," Itachi said absentmindedly playing with his hair. "I know you like to cuddle, even though you grumble about it so much. You're so warm... You smell good. I care about you... why can't I shower you with affection?"

"I dunno, it's just not like you, un," Deidara said with a shrug. "Not complaining, just wondering."

"Good," Itachi said, giving him another kiss.

The flight attendant's voice came on the overhead speakers telling them in the most boring voice what flight they were on, where they were going and telling them to take their seats and buckle up to prepare to takeoff. Deidara shifted up off Itachi's chest and did what she told them to do. His excitement rose again as the plane was trolleyed to the landing strip for take off.

And then more waiting.

But not as long as before.

Thank god.

As the plane finally began to move, Deidara plastered himself to the window, watching the land beginning to move passed them at an increasing pace. All of a sudden he felt as though the ground was trying to pull his stomach out from his ass, but it wasn't a bad feeling. With in the blink of an eye, the ground suddenly look like a monopoly piece buildings that had been professionally painted. Like the miniature railway mountains or war scenes made of styrofoam and tiny toothpicks. Then the plane twisted on it's side and the whole city was laid out before him.

He had been plastered and now he was morphed to the window. "Itachi look!" he cried, staring at the land below. How could a bird ever land? How could they stop looking at this? It was so amazing he could barely breath. When the plane leveled out he could see the horizon, the city outlined in blue that traveled down to gradient into a gray haze that meshed into the city and fussed out the sharp edges of the city. It was so beautiful.

Then they broke through the clouds.

"Oh god..." he breathed, clutching the window. The sight was so incredible it brought tears to his eyes. The sun, the sky, the clouds... it looked nothing like it did from the ground. "It's so amazing... I can't breath..."

"I knew you'd like it," came the soft voice in his ear, the skin touching his own cheek, brought him out of his staring astonishment. "Maybe one day after I get out of school, we'll jump out of a plane together and feel the wind."

It was a short plane ride, but Itachi got to watch the excited blond enjoy the entire thing. They caught a bus that took them out of the airport, which Deidara hadn't enjoyed nearly as much. He told him he some times rode them home sometimes instead of walking. And once they all had gone to the beach on a large bus. What he was happy to see was the resort, pressing his face hard against the window to see. Itachi smiled at the back of his green hat as the blond looked out at the snow covered area. The building was a ranch style, two stories with the slopes of the first snow tubing and bunny slopes visible behind it. While their city had no snow yet, this area had several inches, maybe a foot of snow. As they pulled up the driveway, Deidara climbed over Itachi hurriedly, running to the door of the bus ready to leap out into the snow the second the door was open.

Apologizing to the bus driver who only smile and shook his head, seeing that many times before, but never with an adult, Itachi followed the rest of the passengers out of the bus. Deidara was in the snow, flopping around like a fish out of water, happy to see the snow. "You look very childish doing that," Itachi told the blond.

"You might have less eye wrinkles if you let yourself be a little childish, un," Deidara told him, snickering when Itachi sputtered quite unlike himself, telling him that he didn't have eye wrinkles. Crawling out of the snow and back onto the dusty road. "I'm teasing. Don't be mad."

"Yeah, yeah," Itachi muttered, helping him up. "Come on, we gotta check into our suite."

"...Suite?"

Suite.

A real one.

With a sitting room. A kitchen. A huge bedroom with a king size bed whose set up looked like it popped out of a brochure. The walls were painted only just off white, and it was the only thing Deidara didn't like when he walked in. He wanted to go at it with a paint bucket, but then he wandered into the bathroom and the walls were forgotten. His shoulder bag dropped to the ground as he peered in the bathroom door. The bathroom could be another bedroom with the wrong furniture. It was fully stocked with smelly soaps and shampoos, conditioners and candles. Everything one could possibly imagine in a bathroom was in there, except for your own personal massage therapist. Those were on the first floor according to the menu set up on the sink counter between the bowl sinks. The floors were carpeted in the rest of the suite, but the bathroom was tiled.

On their way up to the suite the host had given them a brief walk through of the features the resort had for them. The first floor contained the lounge, the gift shop and the spa. Deidara always wanted to try a spa but they were always expensive. 'Included in the weekly rate' was whispered in his ear, letting him know that this wasn't just some get away resort trying to look nice. This was a get away resort that didn't spare a cent for their customers that paid so well.

Itachi had received a sideways kick for that. He reassured the brunette later when asked that he wasn't really angry about it.

The only part Deidara remembered was the artificial hot springs on the second floor, just down the hall from their room. From the wide eyed look Itachi had shot him when he pointed that out, it was the part he would remember as well.

"This place is amazing," Deidara told Itachi, climbing on his suitcase to stop him from unpacking.

Itachi smiled at him. "I thought you'd like it," he replied, trying to tug the suitcase out from under him. "I use to come here when I was younger with my cousins."

"It's a week, Itachi," Deidara told him, rolling his eyes. "We can live out of our suitcases, un."

"What kind of places have you been on vacation?" Itachi asked a little wide eyed.

"I live out of my laundry basket at home," Deidara reminded him, lopsided grin sneaking on his face at the expression Itachi was giving him. "Crazy, huh?"

"Well, I'm going to humor myself and put our clothes away in the dressers and closet provided for us," Itachi told him, giving him a light pushed onto the bed and gathered the rest of their clothes from the suitcases to put away. "So did you like the plane? When he rattled his blond head like a bobble-head toy, Itachi smiled. "What about the bus?"

"I've been on buses before," Deidara told him with a shrug. "And I've been on a plane before too, just not since I was little."

"Really?" he asked, finally joining him on the bed after finishing with the clothes. He placed a hand over Deidara's stomach, filled happily with junk from the plane. Itachi hadn't eaten much of the unhealthy packaged food, but Deidara had eaten enough for a few people.

"I bet you're hungry," Deidara commented, rocking from side to side to rub against Itachi's hand.

"I am... but it can wait," Itachi murmured softly, petting the smoothness of his stomach. "I've got a bit of jet lag, I might take a nap."

"What?" Deidara asked, pouting at him. "We just got here! There's the snowboarding and all that stuff the lady was saying to do."

"We've got all week to do that," Itachi told him. "Right now I'm just pleased to have some alone time with you. We can take a nap then go eat and do some of the stuff on the brochure. I turned my cell off."

Deidara gave him a grin. "I turned mine off too, un," he informed him. "Well, except for the one you gave me, but you're the only one who has the number."

"Mmm... good," Itachi said, dragging the blond up to the head of the bed, peeling his own clothes off as he crawled under the silky blankets. Deidara followed after him, but Itachi wasn't ready to do anything yet. He was tired from the trip, even though it hadn't been a long one. His arms wrapped around the comforting warmth of Deidara's torso, pulling him to him like a sleeping toy. "Sleep well."

"You too," Deidara whispered to him, snuggling against the curves of his body before getting comfortable enough to lie still.

When they woke the whole week was laid out for them to do whatever they wanted. Itachi tried to plan it out and make a schedule, but each time he tried, Deidara tore it up. Literally. The whole time, giving him that wide playful grin that always kept the brunette from getting too angry with him. After the first two days of this, they ended up doing things Deidara's way: spontaneously. Most of their time was spent outside in the snow. Some times snowboarding, sometimes ice skating on the small rink, sometimes just rolling around in it, throwing snow balls at each other. When they were too cold or too tired to play anymore they went inside and drank hot chocolate and ate dinner. Then they'd go for a massage, or a soak in the hot springs or some other random service that the resort offered. Deidara often told Itachi that the spa services were some of the most ridiculous things ever invented, but he could tell how much fun the blond was having being pampered so much. They were both getting pampered, though Deidara was the one enjoying it most. He got some new spa thing done followed by a massage every day after they snowboarded. The Spa might have been the blond's favorite, but the hot springs and their bed with the fireplace in front of it was Itachi's favorite. By Wednesday they were both so exhausted from their bedroom activities they slept half the day away.

Friday night, Itachi's eyes cracked open. He wasn't sure what it was that woke him up. The sun wasn't up yet, the curtains were drawn leaving the room in almost total darkness except for the thin light of moonlight that slipped through. Squinting in the dark, he looked down at the curled figure next to him on the bed. He recognized his sluggish movements of the blond waking up when he didn't want too. Perhaps he wasn't even awake yet. Itachi rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around Deidara's waist when he heard the noise that had woken him up.

"No..."

"What's wrong, Dei?" he asked, relaxing against the self heated body, pressing his nose against the curve of his neck.

"It's Saturday," was the sleepy whine that replied.

Ah... they were going home today. He gave Deidara's stomach a soft pat. "Yeah... I had fun this week."

"Me too."

"Next week's Christmas."

"Doesn't make it better, un..."

"Sleep a little bit more," Itachi suggested as the small body turned in his arms to face him. The soft moonlight reflected off the skin of Deidara's thin, pale arms as they slid out from under the blanket to wrap around him.

"I don't want to go back," came the sleepy reply. "I have a bad feeling, un..."

Had Deidara been more awake, Itachi would have passed that off as an excuse to stay, but Deidara was half asleep and less prone to lies. "What about?"

"Something bad..." the voice drifted as Deidara fell back asleep, nose pressed against Itachi's collarbone. Itachi just sighed and relaxed back against the pillows to get comfortable. A glance at his watch showed him that it was only four in the morning. Six more hours before they had to head back to the airport. Itachi agreed with Deidara. He didn't want to go back either.

Itachi never would have imagined how much Deidara enjoyed decorating for the holidays. Halloween he had missed, but saw pictures of the misfits of Daichi's garage decorations. Deidara had even made a gingerbread haunted house made entirely out of chocolate and candy. Where he got the patience to do so. Itachi would never know. Christmas was apparently no exception.

Despite the blond's grumbles and protests the entire trip home, the blond jumped right into the decorations along with the others. Daichi had a real tree in his garage which made the shop smell like an outdoor garage with the mix of pine and oil. Snowflakes were cut out of paper and old decorations were hauled out of the closets. Lights and snowmen and elves were soon everywhere Itachi looked. Daichi had a miniature town that he set up on the second floor where the second tree was with a train that could go through. Itachi was impressed to find out that the mechanic had built the whole thing himself, including the train engine and the little dancing figures on the ice rink. It had been a present for Rin a few years ago and it meant a lot to the woman, something that was obvious to see while watching her help set it up with Daichi.

Mikoto even let Deidara help Sasuke decorate the Uchiha house, something the youngest Uchiha had always wanted to do. Fugaku thought that decorations were a waste of time and only let Mikoto set up the tree and the wreath on the door. Now the dark red oak stained rails of the stairs that matched the floors of the house had twists of mock evergreen and red ribbon and bells. The fireplace mantle had more wreath trains and candles. Tall holders with thin candles or flat bowls with fat ones. The chandeliers in the living room and dining room had icicles and white pearl trains on them. The tree was a beautiful array of lights, more pearls and ornaments. Itachi had never seen his house so beautiful before. The outside, he didn't really care much for, but seeing Sasuke so happy putting up lights and hanging popped corn and cranberry trains that stained his hands in the trees made Itachi happy. The Sunday before Christmas, Mikoto made an enormous feast for them that looked like it stepped right out of a holiday film and invited Daichi and many of the other workers there to come over for dinner.

Now it was Christmas Eve and Itachi was sitting against the wall on Deidara's mattress, the two of them wrapped up in the blankets. In front of them on the floor was a makeshift fire made from candles of all shapes and sizes. It was simple, they weren't doing anything special – in fact he was sure Deidara had fallen asleep against his shoulder, but he couldn't tell from his angle. Despite it's simplicity, Itachi felt like this was one of the best Christmases he'd ever had. He wanted to kiss the blond, but didn't want to disturb him.

"Itachi?" Apparently he wasn't asleep, so Itachi leaned over to give him a soft kiss on the forehead while making a soft noise of inquiry as they shifted to a new position against each other. "I'm sorry... I didn't get you a present.

"I told you not to get me anything," Itachi reminded him, rubbing his shoulder affectionately.

"Yeah, but people never mean that."

"I know _you_ wouldn't mean it," Itachi commented with a smile. "But I do. You don't have to waste your money on me."

"Can I do something for you instead?" he was asked.

"Promise me something" Itachi said after a moment's silence while he thought. "Next time you run into any problems... money or anything, call me or something. I don't want anything to happen because of me or because you couldn't get something you need."

He felt Deidara shift so he lifted his head and met Deidara's smiling eyes. "Only if you promise not to worry so much."

"I will always worry too much," Itachi told him. "But I will try not too."

"Alright then, I promise." Deidara kissed him, that small body sliding onto his lap. The soft touches of his mouth continued the wet muscle of his tongue bringing back memories of their vacation together. They definitely needed a large bath tub to reenact their hot spring experience. Hopeful continued from where they had left off when the two of them had gotten woozy and Itachi had fainted from the heat and smells of the springs. He would definitely not faint in a normal bath and need to be carried back to bed by his boyfriend. How embarrassing.

With Deidara's tongue teasing the inside of his lips, their kiss deepened, growing more passionate and rougher. Deidara fingers slid up into his hair giving his whole scalp a shiver of relief, even though the weight of his hair was not that much. His own finger slid under Deidara's shirt, feeling up his sides slowly and deliberately, ready to rip the fabric off his body.

Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling-a-ling-ding! Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling-a-ling-ding!

"Fuck!"

Deidara burst out laughing at the brunette's reaction to the phone interrupting them. "Who is it?" he asked, kissing his neck anyway.

"Mom." Itachi replied with a groan, picking it up. "Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart," his mothers voice sounded on the other end. There was a tightness in her voice that made him pause instead of nibbling on the exposed skin in front of him. "Where are you?"

"With Deidara in his room," Itachi replied.

"Why don't you two spend the night here? You two have been off and having fun since you got back and I haven't seen you that much. It would be nice to have a family Christmas since we missed last year together," she said.

Petting Deidara's hair to make him stop teasing his neck, Itachi sat up a little. "Alright, mom." He closed his phone and gave Deidara an apologetic look. "Mom wants us to sleep over there tonight. Something about—"

"Family Christmas?" Deidara asked, rolling off his lap to stretch his limps and pull his shirt back on. "You sure I'm invited?"

"Of course you are. Don't be stupid," Itachi said pulling his coat back on and slipped his feet back into his shoes begrudgingly, but he saw the blond's 'we'll continue this later' glance and grinned. "We can say the presents are from the both of us, if you're worried about that."

The blond flashed him a bright smile, obviously relieved that he didn't have to look bad for not getting them presents. Itachi was sure the blond was still miffed at himself for not getting him a presents, but Itachi truly didn't want a present from the blond. He had fun with him this holiday and that's all Itachi wanted. "Do I need to bring pjs to wear to the morning stuff?" Deidara was asking as the brunette started for the door.

Itachi paused and glanced back at him. "...I have stuff you can wear," Itachi said, his face as neutral as possible.

Apparently it didn't work as Deidara smirked at him. "You just want to see me in your clothes," he commented.

He hadn't meant for it to be so obvious., but he'd seen him once in his clothes that were too big on him. He had pulled on his track pants and a t-shirt on one visit that he'd driven through the rain on his bike. To see him in his clothes then had been quite a shock to Itachi's brain, but to see him in his clothes half asleep with bed ridden hair... He had to look away from the blond or they'd never get back to his house. "Don't be obscured," he told the blond, leading him out of the apartment and down the stairs.

Mikoto was waiting for them when they pulled up, suspiciously trying to look normal as she led them in. She took their coats to hang up in the closet then gave Itachi a warm hug, ignoring his question of what was wrong. Sasuke was in the living room in front of the fire roasting a marshmallow on a stick. When he glanced back to see them, he gave a frown of distaste and clamped his crackers and chocolate over the marshmallow.

"Why are they here?" Sasuke demanded. "They're going to be gross all night."

"Just keep your pants on while you listen in," Deidara said, dropping down next to him and snatched his s'more away. "That's pretty gross too, un."

Itachi rolled his eyes at the bickering that rose from the two; Deidara had long ago told him that Sasuke's complaints were probably just bouts of happiness at seeing him, which made life feel much easier and less complicated. Turning to his mother, he caught her before she could pull away to the kitchen. "Are you sure every thing's fine? You look worried," he said, looking at her closely.

"Oh, no sweetheart, every thing's fine," she assured him, giving him a kiss. "I hung your stockings up for tomorrow. And remember," she added turning to the two on the floor, "no one comes down after eleven, alright?"

"Yes, mom," Sasuke said, burning another marshmallow to make another.

"Why?" Deidara asked, waiting till Sasuke finished making his new sandwich before stealing that one as well. Sasuke retaliated angrily by tackling him over trying to get the cracker sandwich back from him.

"No peeking at the presents," Mikoto replied sternly. "Tomorrow when we – don't roll in the fire you two. Tomorrow when we all come down is when you put your presents under the tree. Then we open them together."

"Oh," Deidara said, around the mouthful that he shoved in to claim for himself, smirking at the brunette on top of him. Sasuke glared and got off him, sitting down to make another.

"Tell your idiot to lay off my food," Sasuke grumbled to his brother.

Itachi grinned and sat down behind the blond, kissing chocolate off his lips. "Be nice," he ordered teasingly.

"I am," Deidara insisted. "I'm saving him from getting any fatter."

"I'm not fat," Sasuke insisted darkly.

Sliding his arms around Deidara, Itachi stopped him from starting another bout of bickering. He grinned at Sasuke, who made his sandwich while scurrying away from Deidara at the same time so he wouldn't steal his treat and ate it. Deidara snickered at him, but only leaned his back against Itachi's body, stretching himself out happily. Itachi planted a kiss on his crown that glowed an orange tint in the firelight and looked up at the clock. "We're going to go to bed," Itachi said, standing up and helping the blond. It was almost eleven anyway.

"Alright, dear, sweet dreams," Mikoto said, coming from the kitchen and gave Itachi another warm hug and a soft kiss, doing the same for Deidara who looked surprised by the affection.

"Your mom's really awesome," Deidara said when they were in Itachi's room with the door shut.

Itachi nodded and leaned down to kiss the blond. His mother was one of the best he could have hoped for. Tugging at Deidara's shirt, he pulled it over his head and walked him back onto the bed. Crawling over the blond's small body, he brushed his lips against his before giving him a softy kiss, nuzzling against his neck. "Let's continue?" he murmured softly.

"Actually, I have a surprise for you," the blond said with a grin.

"Oh?" Itachi asked lifting his head up.

"Yeah it's in my bag," he told him,sliding out from under neath him and went over to the messenger bag he'd dumped on the floor. Watching him curiously, Itachi lounged back on the bed with his head propped up by his pillow. "No peeking," the blond ordered, giving him a dirty look. With a sigh, Itachi complied, even when he felt Deidara crawling on top of his torso, but snapped open when he felt cold metal on his wrist then the other one, his arms forced up over his head.

"Wha- what the fuck are you doing?" he demanded, instantly trying to slide his hands out from them, thankfully the metal was padded so he didn't tear at his wrists, but they wouldn't give at all.

"I don't want you to stop me from giving you your surprise," Deidara replied innocently. Then he held up a black bandanna and his innocence turned devious as he blindfolded Itachi.

Huffing quietly in the darkness, Itachi relaxed back on the bed, waiting impatiently for Deidara to do what he was planning. All was silent until something thick and liquid like was poured on his groin. It wasn't painfully hot, but just over uncomfortably warm. Frowning under his blindfold, he shifted uncomfortably. "What are you doing?" he asked, not sure if he was happy about this.

"Nothing," came Deidara's voice in a tone that made it quite obvious that he was definitely up to something. Something that Itachi wouldn't like. He was about to ask again with a more demanding tone when something was put on top of the stuff and ripped off. Deidara's hand clamped down on his mouth as Itachi screamed out, muffling it down a lot. Gasping around his hand, Itachi tried to twist his body away, but Deidara was sitting on his legs. "Shh," Deidara crooned softly, petting his cheek and down his chest. "Don't bring Sasuke and your mom running in here, it'd be kinda embarrassing, un."

"It already is," Itachi gasped. "Fuck, that hurt..."

"Yeah well, brace yourself," Deidara said with a snicker.

"Deidara... please...stop," Itachi gasped behind clenched teeth ten minutes later. This was one of the most horrible things ever done to him. Well, maybe not the most, but it was quickly rising. Worst of all, he couldn't let out that building yell that would release some of the adrenaline pumping inside him caused by the pain. At least his mind thought it would help. The other part of his brain knew that if he did cry out, someone would come running and see him tied to the bed with hot wax on his naval and between his legs. Deidara's hand came down on his stomach to bet him affectionately.

"Almost done," Deidara assured him, but it didn't help assure Itachi at all. Especially when he ripped off more of the wax with slips of paper. Itachi didn't think he had _that_ much hair down there. He definitely felt like he had no more skin.

"I hate you so much right now," Itachi whimpered. "I fucking hate you. I'm going to rip your hair off and tickle you till you pass out when I get out of this."

"Oh, you'll get over it," Deidara told him.

"Fuck that," Itachi gasped, biting into his lip as he ripped off another one, tasting blood in his mouth. "Fuck. Shit...! I hate you. Fuck! Please stop, un!"

"I said I was almost done," Deidara reminded him, finally ripping one last painful strips. He felt him shift on the bed, sliding up closer to him and pulled his blindfold off.

Squinting through his tears of pain, Itachi sucked on his swollen lip and turned his face away from the blond who tried to kiss him. "I fucking hate you," he grumbled, gasping for breath to try to calm his racing heart.

"You wont in a bit," Deidara assured him, kissing his tears softly. Peeking through cracked eye, Itachi watched the blond pick up a bottle of lotion and pour some in his hands then reached down to slowly spread it over his tender skin, soothing it. His hands went everywhere he'd hurt him and then in places he hadn't – not that he would complain about that. "You know," Deidara said in a musing manner. "I don't have hair here either, un."

"I know," Itachi muttered. How could he not? He'd never been with someone who was bare, but, "I just never thought about it before."

"Do you think I feel good?" Deidara asked.

"Yes," Itachi said, grouchily.

"Think of how good _we_ would feel, un," Deidara growled seductively.

Itachi blinked and thought about it for a moment. However good it might feel, he doubted it was enough to make up for the pain. Deidara leaned over him with a grin and sat up on his knees, slowly undoing his pants for him. Slowly pushing them down, but stopped just before anything important showed. "Keep going," Itachi growled, prodding his leg with his knee. Deidara laughed softly and kissed his stomach before shimmying the pants off and crawled over him. The touch of his skin against the lotion on his made him groan softly, betraying his anger. Deidara was right, it did feel amazing. As he kissed the strawberry chapstick lips, he yielded to Deidara's roaming hands with a soft groan as they slid over all his sensitive areas. He was so good at finding just the right places to bring out the most pleasure. He had a lot of practice, a thought that made him sick to his stomach. Itachi hated the mental images his mind would make up of Deidara with other people.

His pleasure and thoughts were stopped short when the blond's hands pushed his legs apart. Giving Deidara a sharp look, Itachi closed them again. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Making you feel very happy, un," Deidara said grinning.

"...I don't want to feel happy," Itachi said trying to sit up. "Untie me, Deidara. Right now."

"No," he cooed softly, crawling up him to kiss him again, groaning softly as he rubbed up against him. "I want to make you happy tonight, like a Christmas present, un."

"I'd like to make a return," Itachi said, swallowing hard. "I don't want this present, Deidara. Please don't do this."

"Don't be silly," Deidara crooned, kissing down his neck, licking down his chest to play his teeth over the dark skin of his nipples. His hand forced down between his legs again to try and pry them apart, but Itachi refused until Deidara sunk his teeth into his thigh. With a soft whimper he opened them again and pressed his face against his arm. "Oh, don't be a baby," Deidara cooed from his lap.

Itachi wanted to argue that he wasn't being a baby, just dominant. He didn't like being on the bottom, didn't like the feeling of vulnerability of having someone overpowering him. He cared and loved Deidara, but not this much. He didn't want to let Deidara do this and he did not believe that he could feel good in these circumstances, but the blond wouldn't stop and he didn't want to hurt him by kicking him off. Deidara's hands were sliding through the lotion on his now smooth skin and it did feel good, but he would much rather be free to take control of the situation. Those fingers slid lower and lower until they got to the sensitive area of his entrance and paused there to slowly push a finger into him. His body instantly locked up, shaking his head even though he knew Deidara wasn't going to listen. That finger went deeper, then a second, fingers stretching him apart in ways that he was not meant to be stretched out. God, how could Deidara let him do this? Why did people let other people do this? His fingers were rubbing against all the tender places of his inner muscles in a way that felt so horrible, but good at the same time. He was hating everything right now, mostly his body for betraying him to pleasure. It was quite obvious that his body at least was enjoying this, even if his ego was not.

Feeling the body over him shifting, he cracked open his eyes and looked up at the blond who leaned down to kiss him softly, lips massaging Itachi's gently before kissing him harder, groaning softly as he slipped his tongue into his mouth. Deidara was such a good kisser with the most talented tongue. But the bastard was just distracting him with it so he could pull his fingers out of him and insert something much bigger that wasn't supposed to enter. Breathing in sharply, Itachi pulled away from the kiss and tried to turn his head away to press his face into his arm, but Deidara put his hand on his cheek and turned his face back to him, groaning softly into his mouth as he pushed in deeper.

"Are you okay?" Deidara whispered to him, lifting his lips off his face. "...Breath Itachi."

"I am," Itachi said through clenched teeth. "Both... I'm breathing... kinda... Fuck, why do you let me do this?"

"Cause it feels good," he purred, kissing him softly. "Relax. It's like a drug, loose yourself in it, un."

"I've never done drugs before," Itachi gasped as Deidara shifted a little, moving him inside him. "Dei... I—fuck!"

He could feel Deidara's smile as he kissed him, slowly moving inside him in thrusting movements. Deidara was mean and cruel sometimes, but Itachi could feel how gentle the blond was being. It made him feel better, but pathetic at the same time. He was never in any means gentle to Deidara, but the blond never complained, in fact he egged him on. Deidara's thrusts were painful, but as he finally let himself relax it slowly became pleasurable, his body responding to it. Goddamn his body. Such a traitor. This wasn't supposed to feel good, not like this. "Deidara... untie me," he gasped out. "Please... I want to hold you."

After a moment of skeptical looks from Deidara, he reached up and unhooked him from the bed, taking them off his wrist. He could feel Deidara expecting him to throw him down on the bed and switch their positions, but he wrapped his arms around Deidara's shoulders, pulling him down against him to kiss his lips then into his neck, panting heavily. He tasted like delicious salt and couldn't stop kissing and tasting him. "You don't have to be so gentle," he murmured in his ear. "I know you don't want to hurt me, but you don't have to..."

"Don't be mad at me tomorrow," Deidara informed him with a grin, licking his lips deviously at him.

"You're not getting away with this," Itachi warned him, nipping his lips and holding onto him as Deidara started moving on top of him again, still gentle, but faster and a little harder. They silenced their moans with kisses and bites, tangling arms and legs together until they were both exhausted and spent, crawling under the covers together to hide from the world as long as possible.

When morning came, Deidara blindly rolled towards the warmth on the bed next to him, smiling happy at the dark eyes, tinted with red watching him when he opened his eyes. They stared at each other for quite a while, but Deidara didn't grow board with it. He wondered how long Itachi had been awake watching him, but he didn't ask, didn't speak. Only studied him. Itachi had very nice skin and beautiful lashes that framed his gorgeous exotic eyes. He never really liked waking up to someone staring at him, but the way Itachi was looking at him, eyes so soft and content, he didn't really mind this morning.

"Happy Christmas, Itachi," he said, barely above a whisper.

"Happy Christmas, Deidara," the brunette replied, just as softly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mhmm," Deidara said with a smile. "Are you sore?"

"Just a little," Itachi admitted, with his own smile.

"Not mad at me, un?" Deidara asked.

"No," Itachi told him, shaking his head. "Never going to let you ever do that again, though. Don't even try it."

Deidara laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry, it's too much work for me," he said, reaching under the covers and took his hand to bring it up to his face so he could examine the his wrists.

"You're such a lazy ass," Itachi was telling him. "They weren't that tight, my wrists are fine."

Grinning at him, Deidara stretched cat like against him and relaxed with a happy groan. Itachi's arms wrapped around his body and dragged him closer. "Sasuke's going to come in to wake us up soon," Itachi told him. "He's been pacing the hallway for almost an hour."

"He's probably debating if he'll be grossed out when he walks in," Deidara said with a laugh, then slid out of bed. Even though he loved cuddling in bed with Itachi, he wanted to go down stairs as well. Ignoring the pathetic sounding grunt that came from Itachi, he slipped into his closet and began shifting through his clothes. Selecting an old pair of dark red plaid pj set, he pulled them on, not bothering to adjust them to his size and shuffled out into the room again. "I think I need some help," he said with a pout.

He watched Itachi peer over at him through the tent the arm over his eyes made and froze. Quite satisfied with the reaction, Deidara shuffled closer to the bed and held his arms out. Instead of fixing sleeves, Itachi grabbed his arms and yanked him back over the bed, tangling the two of them in the blanket. The brunette kissed him, fingers playing with the loose buttons of the shirt. His kisses were just starting to get lower when Sasuke burst into the room.

"Come on, get up already," the younger brother said, shaking the mount on the bed.

"We've been awake," Itachi grumbled at him, sticking his head up out of the covers.

"Awake and doing gross things to each other, un," Deidara said, laughing.

"No, we haven't," Itachi muttered before Sasuke could reply. "We'll be out in a bit. Is mom up?"

"Sort of," Sasuke said, "but she wont let me get her coffee."

"Your reputation is the fault," Itachi said, rolling onto his back, his arms around Deidara's shoulders, fingers softly caressing him over the loose cloth there. He couldn't get up yet, unless he wanted to hear Sasuke's complaining so early in the morning. Deidara was the only one dressed, though he was in no way against traumatizing Itachi's younger brother, but thankfully the older Uchiha was far more mature then he was.

"Sneaker?" Deidara asked, grinning deviously at Sasuke who looked put out, but didn't deny it.

"Oh, yes," Mikoto said, coming into the room in a fluffy bathrobe to give Sasuke a hug and a kiss, carefully holding her coffee mug while she did. "We've contemplated motion detectors before."

"What?"

"Yup," Mikoto said with a laugh. "Get dressed Itachi so you can come down, I'm making hot chocolate."

Today was the happiest day of Deidara's life and it showed in his step as he walked home from Itachi's house. The winter air bit at his cheeks, but barely affected him. He was too full of hot chocolate, pancakes, sausages, ham, eggs and biscuits to care. In his pocket, he carried a bag of sausage for Milkshake and slung over his arm was a bag of presents from the Uchihas. SO many gifts he could barely contain his joy. Sitting on the sofa with Itachi, staring at the green and gold pile – Mikoto color coded the gifts to keep any confusion aside, Itachi's was red, Sasuke's blue and her own a plaid design – Deidara was speechless and feeling guilty at his own presents to share, or lack there of, but Itachi shared his presents announcing that they were from both himself and Deidara.

In his bag he now had an iPod and head phones, a game boy with several different games, clothes and toys for milkshake. Around his neck was a new necklace. White and yellow gold entwined in a simple chain that hung just below where his collarbone met if he wrapped it around his neck twice. Itachi had presented it to him in a dark blue velvet box after everyone had finished unwrapping the gifts. He might break his face from smiling too much if he went on like this.

Entering Daichi's garage with a loud greeting of 'Happy Christmas', he smirked at the jealous eyes on his bag and knelt down to catch the kitten bounding towards him. Scooping the tiny creature up in his arms, he buried his face in the soft down of fur and reached into his pockets for one of the small pieces of sausage. "Look what I got you," he cooed as the cat, catching the smell, began climbing on his arm to get to it.

Daichi came up to him as he was hiding his presents in his bunk so no one would steal it, climbing the ladder and gave his shoulder a pat. "Merry Christmas," Daichi said. "Get me anything?"

"No," Deidara said, "but I got Suki somethings, un. Get me anything?"

Daichi smirked and handed him the envelope he kept their pay in. When Deidara took it, the package felt much heavier then it should and his eyes widened a little at Daichi. The mechanic narrowed his eyes at him, silently telling him to keep his mouth shut. "I'm sorry for the last few months," he told him.

"What?" Deidara demanded suspiciously. Daichi never apologized for anything.

"Good deeds count for double on Christmas. I'm making up for the year," he told him, grinning when Deidara laughed. He felt the mechanics eyes on him as he finished stuffing his presents into his mattress and in the base boards above his head. When he looked back Daichi's face was serious. "I need to talk to you."

Deidara tilted his head to the side and moved to the ladder to climb down after him. "In your office?" he asked.

"No, my car," Daichi said, taking out his keys and walked out into the garage where he kept his car. Confused, Deidara hurried to stuff the rest of the sausage inside a toy to entertain his kitten while he worked to get the treat. When he was in the car, Daichi pulled out and drove with a casualness Deidara recognized easily as one that had no destination for the car, but something important was on his mind. It was the same look he had when he told Deidara that Rin was pregnant. "You need to lay low, Dei."

Startled, Deidara frowned. "Why?"

"The grape vine," Daichi said, "has heard that Uchiha might get reconsidered. They're reopening the case in January."

"Mikoto has a restraining order on him," Deidara informed him.

"Not for _you_," Daichi reminded him. "You're the one that got him locked up in the first place."

Deidara smirked at him. "I'm not scared of Fugaku."

"You should be," Daichi muttered. "He hated you before, but then he just wanted you locked up. Guaranteed he wants you dead."

Snorting softly in amusement, Deidara leaned back against the car's seat and watched the city breeze by. Nothing Daichi could say would make him worry. Mikoto's lawyer must have told her and that's why they'd been called back to the house in such a hurry. Itachi was safe, so was Sasuke. Fugaku wasn't allowed to come within a mile of either of them. Wasn't allowed to contact them either. If Fugaku did come after him ... well he'd been trying for years hadn't he? January meant he had time to plot a bit.

"Yeah?" Daichi said into his phone after taking the ringing object out of his pocket. "What? ...Alright, thanks." He glanced back at Deidara has he put his phone away. "Fugaku's got as many connections as I do. He's paying off the judge. He's getting out the first week of January."


	7. Fire

[I'm going to try to post the chapters much faster to try and make up for my laziness. Sorry about the wait m(_ _)m]

Chapter 7 : Fire

Itachi paced nervously in his room. The carpet in his path was a different color from the rest from his feet wearing it down. Today could either go humorously well, or devastatingly bad. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten about it, even though it was his least favorite of all Saturdays and should have remembered to schedule a prior arrangement. To make matters worse, Deidara was attending. Not that he didn't want him around, but having a boyfriend at a family gathering where everyone expected a girlfriend was bad. When he had reminded his mother of this, Deidara had gotten the most frightening look Itachi had ever seen. Clockworks were rolling in that head in a very devious manner.

Stressing out wasn't going to help the situation at all. He picked out a book from his shelves to distract himself when his door opened. Turning around, the book fell from his hands with a loud thud while his mouth fell open speechless.

"I am dazzling, aren't I?"

By the mischievous smirk, he knew this to be Deidara, but otherwise he was unrecognizable. "You look horrible!" he blurted out before he could stop himself. "No, I mean – I – you... Wh—... Why are you dressed as a _girl_?"

Deidara was laughing at him, the jerk. His usual t-shirt was replaced with a baby doll tank top with a long sleeve sweater that only covered his arms and his chest. Dark blue jeans and brown docs on his legs and a few bracelets on his arms. He'd even curled his hair into thick waves. And he was wearing girl make up, not that coal liner he wore to clubs, powder, gloss... girl make up.

"That's a horrible thing to say," Deidara said, pouting those shiny lips at him. "You don't think I look nice?"

Itachi stared at him in disbelief. He was dressed as a girl. A _girl_. That was just so wrong on too many levels. When Deidara's inquiring pout didn't disperse, he gave a staggered sign and gave him another glanced. The clothing gave enough illusion of curves that it was hard to decipher a gender. His eyes dropped slowly to his crotch, wondering how that was holding up in those pants, but Deidara lifted the draping shirt to show him that it was still there and in tact. "Your hair looks nice."

"That's all you like?" Deidara asked, still grinning.

Itachi frowned and held his hand up, sputtering as he attempted to find the words to use. "You don't look like you. You look good for a girl, I guess," he said, letting the hand drop. "But as a Deidara, I give thumbs down."

"Well, today, I'm your girlfriend who's a foreign exchange student at your school," Deidara told him with a grin.

"...You look like someone I know," Itachi mused to himself.

"Uh... some really awesome and intelligent dude named Deidara? Cause that'd be weird," he replied.

"No..." he shook his head, but his thoughts were interrupted as the door bell rang and Mikoto called them downstairs. His nerves shot up again, looking at the blond in panic. "I don't know if I can do this. What if they find out?"

"Calm down, Itachi. They wont find out, un," Deidara told him. "You're the only newbie here."

"You've done this before?" Itachi asked. Those thoughts of Deidara out with other people were starting to creep into his mind again.

"Several times," he assured him, holding his hand out. "Let's go."

When the two of them got downstairs, they saw that several other families arrived as well. All of them smiled and bowed in greeting, breaking off in groups, all sickeningly polite. Itachi knew it was all fake. They fluttered around his house like royalty while bragging and gossiping among themselves. The 'Fugaku incident' was a popular topic that was muttered around the room. None of them believed him to be guilty. The appointed head of the family would never do anything to disgrace the Uchiha name as the new claims stated. Many eyes fell on Itachi, scrutinizing him from a far as though searching for proof of the heinous act his father had done. Many eyes locked on the blond at Itachi's side, holding his hand. The brunette hated out they were evaluating him before they even had the courage to talk to him. Deidara was a much better actor then he took him for. The wide, toothy, ear to ear smile Deidara normally had was just a shy upturn of his lips. He stood in the corner with Itachi, listening into all the gossip, concealing his opinions of them. Itachi wanted to hid in his room and was close to bolting away, but that small comforting hand in his own helped him stay. It was hard though, a few of the woman finally gathered up enough courage to come over and talk to Deidara, prying him away from Itachi. Trying his best not to look like a poor lost puppy, Itachi shrunk back in the corner to make himself invisible, but not fast enough.

"Takun!"

Itachi watched his cousin, Saya's older brother and his childhood friend, come over to him. "Hey, Shi," he greeted, keeping his voice neutral. Shisui was his friend, but he was also the family member most didn't talk about. He was a year older then Itachi and was the one Fugaku had pushed him to be better then. Shisui was very smart and excelled in everything he did. He was kindhearted, smart and very creative. He was also the reason why he was nervous about introducing Deidara has his boyfriend. Genius and hardworking, baring all qualities Uchiha's smiled upon except for one. Shisui liked girls as well as boys. Especially one specific boy who was currently wishing his boyfriend-pretending-to-be-girl would return. When Shisui had announced several years ago that he loved Itachi and wanted to be his boyfriend when they were older, the entire family was a furious uproar. Shisui had all, but been disowned after that. Not that that had stopped Shisui.

"I missed you," Shisui continued. "Last time I saw you was at your graduation, but you left before I could talk to you."

"Sorry," Itachi grunted, not really sorry since that had been the night Deidara had taken him for a ride on his motorcycle. If his memory served him – which it always did – that night had nothing to be sorry for.

"So how do you like your school?" he was asked as his cousin took his arm to lead him over to where Mikoto had set up snacks, small things to nibble on before dinner.

"Very well," Itachi informed him, taking up a plate and placing several pieces of raw vegetables and ranch on it. "I find college much more acceptable then high school. And yourself?"

"I've switched to part time so that I can intern at a design center," Shisui told him. "I'd ask about your classes, but I don't think I could stand it."

"That's alright, I am not that interested in 'History of Pok-i-dots'," Itachi said. He glanced over at his cousin and realized that not only did Shisui not get it, but he was shocked that someone _wasn't_ interested in the history of pok-i-dots. Deidara would have gotten the reference and the joke. Where was he anyway?

Spotting the blond across the room he had to purse his lips together to keep from laughing. Those pretty blue eyes were giving incinerating 'back off' looks at Shisui while still looking polite towards the people around him. He was doing a decent job, he'd been right when he told Itachi not to worry, but as he watched Deidara excuse himself from the group to come over to him his nerves rose again. This might not end well. Either Deidara was coming to murder Shisui or he had seen the begging look Itachi was throwing him. Wedging himself between the two cousins, Deidara, nudged Shisui away and smiled at Itachi.

"Hi," he said brightly, ignoring the expression on Shisui's face. Itachi was surprised by the pitch of Deidara's voice. His voice now matched his looks and it was throwing the brunette's senses off. "I'm Dei," he said to Shisui.

His cousin was frozen in his silent anger over being pushed away. His dark eyes took in the blond just as the other's had. "...Shisui."

"Oh, Saya's brother," he replied, bowing his head a little. "Nice to meet _Takun's_ family finally."

Deidara was sharp; he had overheard Shisui calling him that and was using it to piss him off. It was working very well, his cousin was bristling angrily, fists clenched at his sides. But like all Uchiha's, he was trying to carry on polite conversation. "Are you a friend from school?" he asked tightly.

"Oh, maybe more then a friend," Deidara said slyly, slipping his arm around Itachi's waist, looking up at him with a warm, affectionate smile. Itachi half returned it, a little concerned that he would start laughing. Standing on his toes, Deidara kissed the side of his lips and a small place in hell broke loose.

"What?" Shisui gasped, dropping his plate loudly on the floor. "You have a _girlfriend_? But—wha..."

"Shisui," a woman's soft demanding voice cut him off and Itachi realized that the entire room had gone silent. A glance at the blond at his side showed the real Deidara, that deviously cruel intentions that hid behind his good girl mask. It only lasted a moment before his face returned to the shy, kindhearted expression he'd had all day.

"Takun, you said you don't date," Shisui said softly.

"I guess the right person didn't come along before," Deidara suggested then turned to face Itachi. "Wanna go outside to the swings?"

"That was mean," Itachi told him, after the screen door shut behind them.

"He was drooling all over you," Deidara said, grumbling in his real voice.

"When I was eleven he told me that he'd be my boyfriend," Itachi muttered, sitting down on the swings and let the blond climb up on his lap before he began rocking the swing back and forth. "My family... didn't really take it that well."

"Your family's full of egotistical fakers, un," Deidara told him. "I'm glad you're not like them."

Placing his hand on the small of his back to keep him from falling. "Are you sure I'm not?" Itachi asked.

"I think you try to pretend you are, un," he replied, resting his head on Itachi's shoulder. "Like at school. You were such a goody two shoes."

Itachi gave a half grin. "You knocked some sense into me, thank god," he said, nuzzling his cheek against his temple. "Is it hard to speak so differently?"

"Just a little," he admitted. "But it's funny too, un."

Itachi smiled, kissing his hair softly, then sighed. "Dei... Shisui's my friend..." he murmured softly.

"Fine, fine, I'll be nice," he promised.

A woman with short, dark hair opened the back door, putting her hands to her mouth to call out that dinner was ready. She stepped aside to let the hurrying kids pass her, ushering them to the kids table. Giving Itachi an affectionate kiss, Deidara slid off his lap and onto the grass to walk back to the house with him. The dinner was split into two sections, one for kids and another for adults. Several of the adults were bickering over who got to sit at the younger table. For good reason. Sitting with the kids meant you didn't have to work so hard to be fake, you got to play with your food and listen to the kids talking or playing like they were adults. Sitting at the kids table was fun, but sitting with the adults was only entertaining if you were five feet, one inch, blond and had the sickest sense of humor in the world.

"So, Miss. Dei, you go to school with Itachi?" Itachi's great-uncle asked as he regally cut up his ham. "Are you in the same classes?"

"We met in a joint class project," Deidara said, folding his napkin in his lap. "I'm studying forensic investigation and photography, we met at a crime scene." He gave Itachi a sideways smile as several people chuckled.

"That's an interesting field to study," someone said with a smile. "You're an exchange student, correct? What made you want to study so far away from home?"

"Oh, Mika, you don't know where she's from, she could be close by," another chided softly, almost playfully.

Deidara smiled and stuck a small sandwich he'd made on his plate with mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy between two pieces of ham into his mouth. "Head Mistress Michaels is a very famous lawyer from my hometown in Germany, I've always wanted to study law under her," he told the family after he finished chewing. Oh, he was loving this, Itachi could see that plain and simple. He'd also done a lot of research for this too, Itachi was impressed.

"Well, you're a good match for Itachi," one of the older woman said with the tone that showed she'd been harshly judging Deidara all night. Itachi looked down at Deidara, smiling at him. She was right. Deidara was a good match for him, but not for the reasons that she'd been looking for. The was probably the biggest thing he'd ever done for him.

"Thank god! They're gone!" Sasuke cried, dropping himself down on the sofa. "Mom, can we never have it at our house again?"

"Maybe sweetie," Mikoto said with a smile, picking up a few glasses to take them in the kitchen. "Deidara did a good job though."

"Yes you did," Itachi murmured from his position on the overstuffed chair cuddled up with the said blond. He gave Deidara a kiss, snuggling against him. "You were amazing today. I can't believe you convinced them."

"Why thank you," Deidara said, patting his arm.

"Where did you learn all that stuff about school?" Sasuke asked, pulling off the nice button down shirt to leave himself in his t shirt.

"Umm..." Deidara droned out, stretching a little then relaxed down. "You know, research and stuff. I used the computer in Daichi's office and all. I wanted to know what kind of stuff Itachi was learning."

"...You knew about the school before," Itachi said softly. "You recommended it to me."

"I told you I know some things, un," Deidara insisted with a pout that made Itachi want to nibble on those lips. "Not knowing anything wont do any good for you out on the streets."

Itachi gave a small nod and laid his head down against Deidara's shoulder. "I really appreciate what you did today," he murmured to him. Deidara smiled and whispered that he was welcome as he nuzzled against his cheek.

They had been pretty lucky. Everyone in Itachi's family now thought that he was dating a girl named Dei who went to school with him. They didn't need to know, but Deidara had wanted to be at the family gathering, and Itachi's family had wanted to show that they weren't suffering in Fugaku's absense. The only problem was that Shisui wasn't answering his phone calls or emails anymore. Not that he was extremely upset about it, but besides Sasuke, Shisui was one of the few members in his family that he enjoyed. At least when he was not professing his love to him. Even after Itachi went back to school, Shisui didn't answer his emails. Instead he text and emailed Deidara every day, happy when he got to hear what the blond was up to. In February, Deidara text him saying Daichi was forcing him to take the SATs and how unhappy he was about it. They text and emailed through Valentines day and Itachi got a very fun video chat that night, thankfully remembering to stay in his car to avoid any embarrassing explanations to his roommate. He told Deidara about his work on his car and his classes – as brief as he could so he didn't bore him too much. Deidara told him about his racing and the cars and money he won for Daichi and his finals and the SAT scores, something Itachi didn't quite believe until he sent him a picture of his test scores. Deidara's hard work impressed him so much, but that impression always got killed when he told him what kind of colleges he could go to with those scores and the blond laughed at him.

By the time May came, Deidara was getting the worst up and down feelings ever in his high school career. So close to being finished. So close to being free! But then the days seemed to take forever and what was the point in going to school now that he knew he was going to graduate. On top of that, Daichi was forcing him to go to the actual ceremony and they were making him wear the most god awful robe and cap. The only good thing that was happening was that there had been no attempts of his life from Fugaku Uchiha.

A whole year ago he had been to one of these events and he had not enjoyed it. He had been watching then, not participating and he had not enjoyed it. A whole year ago, he had been on the verge of failing high school. Not because he wasn't smart, he just didn't like it. Didn't like cliques, didn't like sports, didn't like classes, didn't like teachers. No one liked him either for the most part. No one thought he was smart enough for school. Too drugged up, fucked up and lazy. Even he had trouble believing that all it took was a graduated senior and a promise of a Porsche of his choice for his very own to nudge him alone. There was also the matter of two years of college, but that could come later.

Deidara was happy his last name was in the beginning of the long list of graduates for his class. He might have finished with grades that no one expected, but that didn't mean he wanted to stay in this formal, ugly-as-shit dress and hat they made everyone wear for longer then he absolutely had too. The principle had even offered Deidara a position to speak – what was that called? Vale something. Valedictorian. Itachi had been it for his class when he graduated. Really though. Him? Make a speech about high school and his achievements? What achievements?

Yeah, dudes. The secret to my success was the promise of a Porsche from my incomparable hot sex buddy.

He didn't think that would fly with the school board, but that had been the thought running through his head when the principle offered it to him, eyes shining as he looked down at him like a prodigal son.

So what? He had gone from the lowest grade in school to one of the top four student in his grade. No big deal. He'd just done his work and slipped in a million extra credits with the help of said hot sex buddy's cousin Saya who had transferred to the school as a sophomore with a sever want to help the needy. Yay? Now he had to walk across the stage in front of thousands of people to get a slip of paper that said he was smart. Who cares what a paper said? Didn't they give him enough papers with grades on them all year that told him so already?

His hot sex buddy – oh sorry. His boyfriend. A year together and he was still having trouble saying it in a sentence. It was just that strange to him. His boyfriend couldn't make it to his graduation. Boo-hoo. Actually, Deidara hadn't even told him when it was. He hadn't told anyone, but someone had leaked the information and Itachi was upset he couldn't come, finding out too late to set time aside. Unfortunately as Deidara glanced out at the seated crowd, he saw Daichi and Rin Mura holding their one year old daughter Suki, Mikoto Uchiha with her niece and youngest son, all sitting in the middle with more people then he wanted to see. They were all listening to the principle talking. Mikoto was already filming the entire thing and it looked like Daichi and the others had their own cameras as well.

Shit. Fuck. Damn it all to hell!

He needed a cigarette.

"..someone who has... surprised everyone with his achievements in the last two years. One I personally never thought to be able to introduce on this stage: Deidara Awai."

The applause diminished as Deidara stomped into view. Not smiling as the rest of the students were. Not stepping with a lively bounce the others had, so happy to have succeeded. He was stomping. He wasn't smiling, or looking so regally pleased with himself. He looked extremely pissed. Who in their right mind wouldn't be? Who in their right mind would want to celebrate something like graduating high school? It meant you had to go out into the real world where people didn't care that you were miss popular or the coolest guy in school. They cared on how smart you are. How hard you worked. How much you could stand from your bosses and co workers. Who cared that you were sneaky in school and could pass by beating up the id who sat next to you in math class? All that studying and that was it. Out into the real world for the real test: Did you pay enough attention to make it all work? Even though you wouldn't be needing most of it in life. Chemistry for example. Who uses chemistry in later years of life? Who really wanted to be paraded across a stage in front of hundreds of people to get a piece of paper that let the world know that you were either a brown-noser or good at cheating?

"Congratulations, Deidara," the principle said as the scowling blond approached him. "I'm very proud of you."

"Right," Deidara remarked as he started to walk off, but paused. Instead of leaving, he nudged the principle out of the way of the mic.

"Hi," his voice echoed through the speakers into the dead silence of the horror anticipating audience. "When the schools were preparing for this night with the full intent of boring you to death," a few scattered chuckles in the audience, the principle looked ready to break out into a sweat, "they asked me to give a speech on my achievements and my time at school. Since I'm obviously not a brownnoser like this guy," he pointed back to where the appointed valedictorian sat with the teachers, bristling slightly in embarrassment, "I turned it down, but I changed my mind." Out in the audience, he could see several confused faces, several horrified faces, but most looked incredibly amused. Daichi was trying hard to keep his expression neutral, but he was clearly pleased by the end of the dull speeches.

"Look. High School _sucks_. Period. I've made it obvious this last year that I'm the worst student in the school by choice. You can believe that, or just know that the schools you're sending your kids too isn't up to par. Lots of people wonder why I managed not to get kicked out when I first started coming to school. My secret I will pass on to you since I'll be leaving. Blackmail people! Plain and simple. I don't have to keep this a secret anymore, so..."

"Deidara, thank you," the principle said, trying to pull him away from the microphone stand. "You aren't permitted to speak since you turned it down. We have to continue with the ceremony."

"The principle's having an affair with the school nurse and will let anyone suck his dick for an accidentally grade input," he said into the microphone before the principle could stop him. Oh, the gasps, the cries of 'what', the laughs and the principle's name being yelled from the brown haired woman who stood in a horrified manner and stormed out. "Freedom!" Deidara sang lastly into the microphone before taking his diploma and walking off stage, being applauded from those in the audience not horrified by what he said.

Sprinting down the stairs, he burst through the door into the hallway, ready to sneak out. He took his phone out of his pocket, gave the camera part of it the middle finger and his tongue before taking a picture of himself looking less formal then the senior picture Itachi had gotten of him in his cap and gown. He headed towards the doors again, sending the picture to Itachi as he reached for the handle.

"You've always known how to make an exit, but I never thought of you as a motivational speaker."

Turning towards the dry voice that constantly dripped with sarcasm, Deidara cracked a grin and struck a pose. "Nor such a model student," he said then turned to face the short stature redhead leaning against the wall. "When'd you come back?" he asked.

"Today. Didn't give your sources enough time to tattle so you could come annoy me," Sasori told him.

"So you came to see me by mainstream?"

A shoulder rose and fell uncaring. "Had to see for myself. Are you sick in the head?" he asked, walking out of the school with him. "Or just wanted to for the hell of it?"

Giving a dramatic shrug, Deidara pulled the robes off and his hat, stuffing them unceremoniously into his bag that sat in Daichi's car. "Maybe a little of everything, un," he admitted. "How was your trip?"

"You don't care about my trip," Sasori said, stiffly as he got in his car, waiting without saying a thing for Deidara to get in the car with him. "I'm surprised I'm driving you and not some old man thinking he's going to get both of us in one night."

"It's not my fault you look so young," Deidara reminded him, getting into the other side of the huge army like car. Sasori did enjoy his environmental destroying cars, being the contradictory person he was. A doctor who liked to destroy. "And I only came with Daichi, un."

"Really?" Sasori inquired absentmindedly, though it was curious. "Why's that?"

"Because," Deidara said, taking out his phone and taking a picture of Sasori with the feature before the stoic faced redhead could protest, "my boyfriend is in school and I tell him that it was tonight, un."

"I suppose you're sending him my picture to make him jealous," Sasori grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"Nope, I want him to know my oldest and bestest friend ever," Deidara said with a laugh, pressing a few buttons on his phone to send Itachi the picture. "Oldest meaning age, not how long I've known you, un."

Sasori glowered at the road in front of them as they pulled out onto the street. Deidara smiled at him and relaxed back into the chair. "So where we were going?" he asked, glancing around. His phone jingled in his hand as Itachi replied back with a text saying, 'who's the kid?' In reply, Deidara wrote 'he's a grouchy old man who thinks he's better then everyone' 'So he's an older, but younger looking version of you.' 'he's a doctor sometimes he takes care of me.'

"Stop telling him things," Sasori said, glancing sideways at him. "We're going to my house. I haven't seen you in a while."

"Aww... you're worried about me?" Deidara asked.

Sasori scoffed. "No, but you're fun to poke at," he informed him, leaving the city to travel to the high priced lands with well built houses. The house they pulled up to was two stories high, surrounded by land that was full of trees. Some of the trees were sawed to a stump, crushed with an ax to be made into compost for more trees to grow in time. Hopping down out of the car, Deidara went around to Sasori, grinning at him.

"I see you've had more trees planted," he commented casually.

"I need them," Sasori said, walking up the steps and unlocked the door. "Take your shoes off before you—hey!" He glared at Deidara who had just walked all over the marble foyer in his outdoor stained shoes. The blond gave him an innocent expression then kicked his shoes off and slipped deeper in the house. A glance back, showed Deidara that Sasori was just shaking his head and following him.

"Don't—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't touch anything," Deidara said, rolling his eyes as he flopped down on the sofa. "So you came all the way from... a remote unheard of town in North Korea studying the cure for aids, un?"

Sasori glowered at him as he poured them both glasses of a wine that he didn't recognize, probably imported from where ever he'd come from. "Nepal," he muttered. "And I am not studying aids. What I am is none of your business, so don't ask me."

Deidara laughed as he took his drink, sniffing it first before taking a sip. "So... you came all the way from a remote unheard of village in Nepal to see me graduate?" he asked as Sasori went to the mantel over the fireplace to adjust what Deidara knew was a new edition to the marionette collection that sat there, staring at the room's occupants with glassy eyes. The dolls were one of the few things Sasori handled with a tenderness that one would find in a mother and child.

"You're due for a check up," Sasori informed him as he turned away from the doll. "With your atrocious habits and erratic behavior I'm certain you'll need something that you will try to weasel me out of for free."

"I haven't touched anything in eight months," Deidara told him smugly as Sasori peered at him over his wine glass suspiciously. "It's true, stick me," he added, holding his arm out.

The redhead made a thoughtful noise then settled back in his chair peering at him with the blankness of a doll, his face as young as one. Sasori Akasuna's face hadn't changed since Deidara was a child, still living with his parents, going to parties with family members, dressed in ways that made his gender indeterminable. His mother wanted him to be a girl, she wanted everyone else to think that he was a girl as well. Wanting to please, he played along with it like it was a game, but Sasori had seen through it. Maybe it was because he was a doctor and use to seeing difference in genders, or maybe the young looking doctor noticed something other people didn't. When they'd bumped into each other almost literally, Sasori had called him a boy and Deidara had stared at him wondering how this man could see through his acting. Their relationship started out very well. Deidara had kicked Sasori in the shins and bolted for his mother, grinning as pained threats followed after him. The next year they met again and Sasori had approached the young blond, this time with his father. Sasori was a good doctor, he'd been told, he's a friend of the family so we'd like him to examine you. Deidara had asked how his leg was while Sasori was listening to his heart.

'You'll have to kick harder then that next time if you want to leave an impression,' Sasori had told him coolly.

'What did they give you, un?' Deidara asked, causing Sasori to look at him curiously. 'You're not part of my family. Did they give you money? What for, un?'

'...I study rare diseases and poisons,' Sasori informed him. 'Antidotes and cures. I'm also studying the effects of anti-aging surgeries and how they affect the body and other solutions.'

'Is that why you look like a kid?' Deidara asked, reaching out to touch Sasori's face. The brown eyes had widened a little at the sudden touch, not use to people just reaching out and touching him. The small hand was knocked away, but the six year old blond didn't budge his grin. 'Is it a secret?'

'...Yes."

'Okay, I no tell, un!'

Sasori never aged, and refused to tell people his age. Deidara had tried digging through his files once when he was over his house and had paid for it when Sasori caught him. It had been fruitless, Sasori had no records of his real age, or his real identity, where he was from, where he grew up. He'd found a lot of IDs and passports, but they all said something different. Deidara knew many of his dark secrets that the sponsors that paid him good money wouldn't want to find out about, particularly the one in the basement. Evidence of those experiments sitting on the mantel in the form of a child barely over a year old newly sitting on the mantel. Sasori liked taking people and changing them into puppets, sometimes when they were still alive.

"What brought this on?" Sasori inquired, finishing off his drink and set it down.

Deidara grinned mischievous at him and shrugged as though he hadn't a clue, but he knew Sasori wasn't convinced, but he wasn't going to give him any information. Sasori dined on information and Deidara wasn't going to give it away willingly. Not this one. Sasori would find the whole thing stupid and probably figure out how to use it to Deidara's disadvantage.

The rest of the night was spent with Sasori running what felt like hundreds of his little tests on him, making sure he was healthy. He smirked when Sasori's expression turned startled when he found that his blood honestly was completely clean of drugs. It took a lot to startle the redhead. While he tested him in silence, Deidara told Sasori about school and the races Daichi held. Sasori replied with small nods and murmurs, still trying to figure out what it was that Deidara was hiding from him. He was there for hours, but Sasori kept his basement laboratory cut off from all natural light, so he had no idea what time it was. He slept for a few minutes at a time, but Sasori didn't' seem to mind, continuing about his business and waking him up with another stick of a needle.

"You need to be cautious," Sasori said as he peered under a microscope.

Deidara lifted his head from the table he was laying on and grinned at him. "You tell me that every time—"

"For different reasons," Sasori snapped, giving him a condescending look. "Uchiha is out of prison."

"Uh, yeah, duh," Deidara said, rolling his eyes. "I was at the court house with Daichi when the judge announced it."

"You're retarded," Sasori informed him. "He's going to act soon. You need to be careful. Uchiha isn't as patient as you are, he wont want to wait any longer."

"Sasori-danna," Deidara sat up, grinning a little as Sasori twitched a little at the add on to his name. "It's been almost five months. I can take care of my self, you don't have to warn me every time you think your testee's going to run out. I'm sure you'll find another one just as soon as you found me, un."

"Too much trouble," Sasori told him. "Just be cautious. I'm finished here. Some of the tests will take a few days."

"I'll see you then," Deidara said, pulling his clothes on and heading for the stairs.

"Why?" Sasori asked, turning to look back at him, frowning darkly. "Tell me."

"Nope," Deidara said with a devious grin, taking another picture of him with his phone looking so confused and frustrated and hurried up stairs. Itachi would be his secret from his friend. He didn't need hearing his thoughts on the strangeness of the whole thing. Besides, Sasori might want to test psychological differences and probably want to meet Itachi and Deidara didn't want the brunette to have to go through what the redhead did to him.

On the screen of his phone, he had two texts from Itachi and one from Daichi. Daichi's was asking if he wanted to race tonight, but he had to text back an apology since Sasori's basement had no reception and he missed the whole thing. He called a favor to come pick him up and bring him back to the apartment, then text Itachi. It was early in the morning. He'd be awake.

"Good morning, Deidara. Is something wrong?" Itachi's voice sound worried over the ear piece.

"No, I've been at Sasori's house," Deidara told him. "He's been making sure I'm healthy and not so riddled with disease, un."

"...Oh, that's good, I suppose..." Itachi said. "Have you been up all night? You should go to sleep..."

"My friend's coming to take me home, un," he told him. "I'll talk to you tonight, have a good day."

That night when he got home, he wandered up the stairs of the apartment building. Everyone was asleep or in their room, still up talking and drunk from the graduation party. It was only one in the morning; Sasori had kept him there for nearly five hours, but not having to get up tomorrow for school would be wonderful. Milkshake nearly rolled off the bed when Deidara walked in, giving a soft meow in greeting as Deidara scooped him up and brought him back to the bed. Without even bothering to undress, he laid down on the mattress with the sheets pulled up, kitten nestling against the curve of his neck, and fell asleep, thankful for the rest finally.

It was still dark out when he opened his eyes again. The street lamps cast a dim yellow light into his room, but that wasn't what woke him. He glanced at the clock on his phone. It was only three AM. He hated being woken up before he had to. Flipping off the window, he put his phone under his pillow and rolled over onto his side and pulled the sheet over his head, but as hard as he tried, sleep wouldn't come. Something didn't feel right. Kicking off the blankets off, he got off his mattress and went to the window.

The street lights weren't much to aid his eyes, but it was enough to see people down on the street. More then there normally was. They were piling in cars and squealing down the street, but instead of turning at the light, they pulled into a dead end street and out of his line of vision. With a frown, he went to his bed and found his hoodie to pull on and slipped the phone Itachi had given him into his pants pocket. He was about to walk out to see if anyone was still awake when he noticed Milkshake in the corner of the room.

"Hey," he said, crouching down. He was startled when he saw the kitten's fur standing on end, making him look twice as big as he was. Sliding his hand carefully underneath the shaking car, he picked him up pet his chin. "What's wrong?"

As he started for the door, Milkshake let out a yowl and clawed his way up to hid in the hood behind him. Deidara could feel him trembling but couldn't see what was wrong until he opened the door. Smoke choked him as the pull of the door sucked it into the room. Ducking down lower to avoid it, he saw that the floors below were licked with flames, crackling angrily with a cruel hunger. Terror held him for a moment before he launched himself down the stairs.

"Rin!" he screamed out as loud as he could, landing on the next floor, calling out the names the came to mind as he banged on their doors as he passed them, trying to wake them up. The third floor stairs were ablaze, the windows in the hallway broken like something had been thrown through them. Rin was on the second floor landing where the fire was catching fast. Leaping over the railing, he landed on the second floor and used his momentum to slam his shoulder into the door, breaking it down. The baby crib was across the room and he sprinted to it as Rin startled from her bed.

"Dei, what are you doing?" she demanded as he lifted the baby in his arms, wrapping her up in the pink blanket.

"The building's on fire," Deidara said, throwing her coat on the bed to put over her night gown and went to the door. "There were people outside, we have to get out, un!"

Rin hurriedly pulled the coat on and stuffed her few special pieces of jewelry in it's pocket and followed him to the door. Holding baby Suki carefully against him, Deidara started down the stairs, squinting through the smoke. With Daichi's line of work, he always made sure there were enough escape routes. Ways to get out of the building. The garage was littered with them, the apartment not as much, but there were ways to get out if you were on the roof, and Daichi had a tunnel dug to connect to the sewer system that ran under the building. The smoke stung his eyes as he went lower to the first floor.

"Wait!" Rin cried, gripping his shoulder. "The children are up there!"

"There's no time, un!" Deidara snapped back. He grabbed her before she did something stupid, leading her through the first floor and pulled up the trap door to the sewer. Rin was screaming at him frantically, but he ignored her, pushing her down into the tunnel and climbed down after her, only able to use one hand with Suki in his arms. When he reached the bottom, he reached his hand back to make sure the kitten was still there. The tiny trembling figure whined softly, but refused to let go of his hoodie.

"Deidara! Deidara, how could you? The babies were up there! The younger children! Why didn't you get them? Go up and get them!" Rin was screaming near hysterically, clutching his shirt, looking angry enough to strike him, but she didn't.

Deidara didn't say anything in response. He knew that logically it would have been impossible to get everyone out, but he acted without thinking. Hopefully the others had heard him and gotten the others out too. There was a rumbling above their heads. They had to move. The building could collapse down on them. Maybe. He never thought about how strong the sewage concrete was around them. Taking Rin's arm, he hauled her up and led her deeper into the tunnels until they came to a metal ladder, it's rungs jutting out from the cement walls. After handing Suki to Rin, they climbed up and pushed into the streets, the silence of the sewer was interrupted by the noise above.

The building was completely ablaze now, licking out the windows and up to the higher floors. Wailing fire trucks blocked the streets, several men at a time were holding down the hoses that tried their best to tame the flames. The front door was broken into, firemen running in trying to save the people inside. People were standing around watching, keeping out of the fire men's way. It looked so hopeless for them.

Over the siren screams and fire's roar, Deidara saw a familiar Mustang pulling up along with several other cars. Daichi got out of the car in a panic the blond had never seen before. Several people rushed to catch onto the mechanic, stopping him from running in himself though he threatened and cursed them, fighting hard to get to the building.

"Daichi!" Rin called out, across the street.

Dark eyes swerved to find the voice, spotting her approaching and threw off the others. Daichi ran over to meet her, pulling Rin into his arms, hugging her in tight relief as tears streamed down his face. Another moment of panic came to his face until he saw the baby in her arms. He cradled his daughter carefully, making sure she was alright, but her piercing cries of fear brought more relief to him as he hugged them both tightly. Urging from the others finally got them to move and get in the car. The police were arriving and not all of them were safe to stay at the scene.

The fire was on the news a few hours later. The fire department was claiming arson – well, duh, many watching commented, though the reporter continued on the screen. Four had escaped unharmed, but another five had been rushed to the hospital and so far three bodies had been pulled from the debris. Two of young children and one of a teenager. Rin burst into tears again as the reporter continued to mention that the building had been an unofficial foster home for young people. A place to keep them off the streets so there was no telling how many had been in the building to begin with so the death count was still uncertain. Five of the people that had so far survived had been identified by the local police and subject to arrest when their injuries were treated.

The reporter hadn't known and neither did the fire department, but the group in Daichi's garage knew. There had been twenty-one in the building, including Rin, Suki and Deidara. Six were unaccounted for. Four of them were children younger then twelve. Most of them had been on the fourth and fifth floor and everyone was sure that they were dead. Rin sobbed into Daichi's embrace, verbally blaming Deidara for their deaths. He shouldn't have wasted his time saving her when there were others that he could have helped. Daichi didn't say anything, silently disagreeing with her, quite happy that Rin and his daughter were safe, but the mention of the blond startled them with sudden realization.

Deidara was no where to be found.


	8. Lies

[[Thank you for all your reviews and messages!]]

Chapter 8

* * *

Itachi had to admit, the new inhabitant of the dorm he shared with Kisame was unpredictable, but he was never prepared to see Deidara functioning before noon. When he stepped out of the bathroom and found him sitting up in bed, he always questioned if something was wrong. Was he okay? Did he feel sick? Have a bad dream? The blond always smiled sleepily and shook his head. He would lean into Itachi when the brunette came to give him a hug and kiss goodbye and then went back to sleep when Itachi went to class. It was the pattern they had in the morning for the last five days in a row. Not that Itachi was complaining though. When Deidara had arrived at the dorm Saturday at eight in the morning, Itachi had instantly gotten worried, but Deidara had just brushed him off. Nothing was wrong, he just missed him! No school meant Deidara could come and go whenever he wanted, but to Itachi... something just didn't seem right.

It was day three that Itachi learned what was wrong. Daichi had sent him a message to call him when he was out of class. He heard about the fire, about the deaths of the children and how Rin, in her distress, was blaming Deidara for it. Also how an anonymous gave information that made it look like Deidara had done it himself. Daichi hadn't seen Deidara come out of the fire, but Rin had said he brought her out.

"I just wanted to make sure he was alive," Daichi told him. "The cops think that Deidara did it, but..." His voice trailed off in an ominous manner that made Itachi shiver, but he knew what he meant. "He'll be pissed if he thinks you're worried about him, so don't tell him I called you."

The brunette was very paranoid, but he tried his best not to let Deidara on that he knew the reason as to why he was there. If Deidara was worried, he wasn't letting it show, but then again, Deidara was never worried about anything. Fugaku couldn't come after Deidara when he was this close to Itachi, so perhaps the blond felt safe with him. A small part of Itachi felt used. Used, but the blond could have stayed with Mikoto and Sasuke. He chose to come with him, which made him very happy.

After Deidara finally woke up for real, his day wasn't very interesting. Students weren't allowed to have visitors spending the night so if he was caught, Itachi would get in trouble and he would be sent home. He did not want to be sent home, so he stayed in the dorms, playing video games, watching movies and sleeping. Milkshake was thrilled because he got to eat fish and chicken left over from his parents dinners because it would look very suspicious if he started bringing in cat food, since there was also no pets in the dorms allowed. At least he had a companion to play with until Itachi got home. There had been a few times when he had lost it and left the room, to get candy, to peek into Itachi's class rooms, to get food from the cafeteria. He'd been caught once in the stairway a few days after his arrival. A tall, sophisticated woman, he knew to be the head mistress was coming down as he was trudging up. Deidara had stopped short and stared, not expecting to see her there – didn't normal people take elevators? She had also stopped, not expecting anyone on the stairs, but she'd smiled and said 'good morning' to him. Stammering out a response, Deidara had hurried up the stairs passed her, a tense knot twisting in his stomach when he saw her looking back at him with a curious expression. Too close for his comfort.

He didn't tell Itachi about it because he didn't want to listen to him panic about them getting in trouble. When he did go out, he had to be careful that the door didn't shut all the way so he didn't get locked out. Snagging some coins from the jar labeled 'Kisame' on the desk Milkshake was sleeping on, he slipped out of the room, putting tape on the latch so it couldn't shut and went off to get candy. The vending machine was at the end of the hall and Itachi was getting out of class soon, but it was more then enough time to eat the skittles he bought and hide the evidence.

Returning to the dorm, Deidara was taking the tape off the door to get in when a hand came from behind him and planted heavily on the door causing it to shut and the latch to click in place.

Sighing in frustration, he turned and glowered at the tall, short haired brunette behind him. "It's true. You are a boy," he said.

"Whoop-de-fucking-doo," Deidara replied. "The fuck is your problem? Now I can't get in, un."

"You don't know me," the brunette asked, frowning. People always seemed to get mad when you didn't remember then. It was a common thing to happen.

"No," Deidara told him around a few Skittles in his mouth. "But you'll know my fist if you don't get out of my face."

"You're not a student here," he continued as though he didn't hear what Deidara said. "You're that whore who lied about my uncle and got him sent to jail. You disgraced my entire family with those lies! What did you do to Itachi to make him quiet about it?"

Oh, this was that crazy cousin that was madly in love with Itachi. Shoe someone. Shisui. That was it. "Where the hell did you get that idea, dumb ass?" Deidara scoffed. "I didn't lie. Just because your 'unconditional love' made you blind to how much he was hurting, doesn't mean it never happened, un."

"You burned down that apartment and killed little kids to hide the evidence of your fraud. Why else would you run and hide from the police? Why would you lie to my family about being Itachi's _girlfriend_," Shisui demanded, voice rising angrier with each accusation.

"God, you're such a moron," Deidara muttered. "I thought you were supposed to be some genius. Why don't you ask Itachi himself?"

"I don't need too," Shisui said. "Once you're out of the picture, Itachi wont have to pretend. Fugaku told me the whole story."

"I'm sure it was a warm and tear jerking story and you're a fool to believe him," Deidara grumbled, annoyed with the obnoxious interruption of his quiet afternoon. "So what's the plan? Gonna kill me?"

His daring smirk angered the Uchiha even more. "My uncle wants you alive," Shisui told him. "He'd come for you himself, but can't because Itachi's here. Just like you planned."

"Itachi's going to hate you for this," Deidara pointed out, weighing his options with the brunette. Shisui was older and taller, but Shisui was on the artistic side of the Uchiha family, probably not much of a fighter, though possibly a runner. Shisui didn't look like much, but then again, neither did Deidara, so who was to say. One thing he was sure of was that he could out wit him and therefore out run him.

"Itachi will thank me once you're out of the picture. He's too good for someone like you," Shisui snapped.

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Like he'd go for someone lacking so much personality," he mocked.

Shisui bristled, but Deidara didn't give him a chance to reply. Grabbing his shirt, threw him against the door and smashed his head into the wall and bolted for the stairs. The hallways echoed with the banging of the door and his sneakers squeaking on the concrete floors. He underestimated Shisui's speed though. The Uchiha was hurrying after him, jumping down the stairs as he was, but his legs were longer then Deidara's and he caught up with him, slamming the blond into the tiled wall. He panted softly from the extra use of his muscles, crushing his face against the wall. Planting his hands on the tile, Deidara pushed off hard from the wall and turned, to bolt for the door, but a soft click made him freeze. Glancing over his shoulder, he stared down the thin barrel of a silencer at the end of a gun.

Walking out of the elevator, Itachi's eyes immediately dropped to the carpeted floor in front of his door. Chuckling, he shook his head. In the morning after he made sure his door was locked, he always swiped his foot over the carpet to make the fabric stand on end. If someone came in or left, he'd be able to tell. Kisame's huge prints were there, and ... yep, so were Deidara's. He went to get candy again ...Skittles, from the looks of the trash he'd attempted to get in the trash can and missed down the hall. It was an amusing game to play. Deidara couldn't figure out how Itachi knew he'd left the dorm and it was good practice for his investigating. He was about to go in, maybe to ask Deidara if he saved him any skittles and watch his reactions, but then he noticed another set of foot prints. And the two meshed together at one point.

"..hm..." Itachi mused and opened the door. "Deidara?" he called, looking around the room. His shoes were gone so was his phone, but his coat and music were still on the desk. "Hey, Milkshake, where's Mommy?" he asked the cat who was trotting out of the bathroom with a yawn and stretch. The kitten rubbed against his legs happily and flopped over onto his back, mewling at him. "Oh you're a real help."

His cell phone rang in his pocket, causing him to jump and scramble to answer it, hoping it was Deidara.

It wasn't.

"Hey, it's me," Sasuke's voice said on the other end.

"Hello, Sasuke, how are you?" he asked, as he peeked into the bathroom and then under the bed.

"Fine, not the point. Have you seen Shisui?"

"...No," Itachi said, in a confused tone, sitting up again. "Why would I? I'm at school."

"Aunt called Mom real panicked, I listened on the other phone," Sasuke told him, without an ounce of remorse in his voice, the sneak. "She said that Shi got a phone call last night from Dad and locked himself in his room for a while then ran out of the house. Apparently, he never went to work today."

"...Shisui talked to father? What about?" Itachi asked, but already new it couldn't be good either way.

"She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard your name and said he was muttering about a 'fucking bitch'," Sasuke said.

"Father told him," Itachi said, though it wasn't necessary. That was quite obvious. "I need to call you back, I can't find Deidara."

Quickly dialing Deidara's number, he left the room and stepped out into the hallway, wondering where to look first. There was no answer on Deidara's phone. Stopping himself short as he started bouncing from the stairs to the elevator, he took a few calming breaths and thought for a moment, processing what he knew. There had been three sets of foot prints by the door: one Kisame's boots, one Deidara's converses and another. Not proof of Shisui's appearance at the school, but close to it. Normally Shisui was a very kind hearted man, but Fugaku could have...

Scrolling down through his contact list, he found his cousin and pressed CALL, putting his phone to his ear.

"Who's that?" Shisui demanded when the phone rang from Deidara's pocket.

"Itachi," he replied, watching him closely, making sure this idiot didn't accidentally fire the gun. His other phone had been destroyed in the fire, Itachi was the only person who had this phone's number.

"What would he be calling you for?"

"You ask really dumb questions for an Uchiha," Deidara replied.

Shisui's phone began vibrating in his pocket before he could reply. He gave Deidara a warning look an pulled it out. "Hello—Hey Takun! What? I'm at a party. Me and a few guys from work left early to relax," He waved the gun at Deidara, warning him not to make a noise. Instead, the blond glared at him and kicked his leg out, successfully connecting with the tender area between Shisui's legs. Smirking, Deidara pushed away from him and jumped down the last flight of stairs.

"No, Takun," Shisui grunted. "Sorry, some of the guys are getting crazy. I gotta go. Love you!"

The only way Deidara was going to get away was if he found Itachi. He had called to see where he was, so it was more likely that he was in his room, but now Shisui was blocking the way up. As he stepped out of the stair well and into the hallway, the sudden banging of doors made him jump, but it was only classes letting out. Slipping into the crowds, he followed them, making himself invisible. He wished he had his hoodie to pull over his very distinguishable hair. Most of the crowd was heading towards the gym and he went with them.

Itachi hung up his phone in disbelief. Either Sasuke had lied to him, or Shisui had. Sasuke had no reason to lie to him. In fact, he couldn't remember his brother every lying to him. Sasuke had said that their aunt had said that Shisui hadn't shown up for work at all, not left early.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he dialed Deidara's number again, muttering for him to pick up, growing more and more panicked which each step he took until that voice picked up the line.

"Deidara!" he gasped, relief washing over him. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Deidara said, his voice slightly breathless from running. "I'm fine. Your cousin's a nut job though, un."

"He is here... Damnit, Deidara did he hurt you?"

"Not yet."

"Shit," Itachi gasped, going to the elevator and pushed the down button frantically. "Where are you?"

"I'm going to the gym. There's a game or something so there's lots of people."

"I'm coming. Watch the doors for me," Itachi said, then hung up.

A long stream of curses were running through his head. Shisui was most likely right on Deidara's tail and the elevator was just arriving. Shisui wasn't dumb enough to do something in a crowd, and Deidara wouldn't care if he threatened other people, but someone could get hurt. And knowing his fearless cruelty, it'd most likely be Deidara.

Sitting in the crowded bleachers, Deidara was the only one not cheering for the basketball game. His eyes darted from one entrance to the other. It was easy to slip into anonymity in this crowd, everyone dressed in their school's colors. There were people here who stuck out in this crowd with their hair and make up. He was invisible, but he was nervous. If Shisui spotted him... He wondered how good Shisui's aim was. Probably not good enough to shoot him through the crowd, but he had no idea. Speak of the devil.

Shisui came through one of the doors, stopping to look around, but it was enough time for the ticket people to notice him and make him pay the ten dollars to get in. It almost made Deidara grin, but he just swallowed and slid down lower in his seat. The gun wasn't in his hand, but he knew it was on him.

His eyes moved to the other door and saw Itachi bursting in, his onyx eyes searching frantically. Deidara ran for him instantly, taking the bleacher stairs two at a time. Itachi spotted him and instinctively held his arms out for him to run into, hugging him tightly. Panicked relief was on Itachi's face as he pulled him away from his body to give him a once over, making sure he was alright. Deidara took his hand and pulled him out of the gym and into the hallway.

"What the hell is going on?" Itachi asked.

"Fugaku got to him, cause he couldn't get me himself, un," Deidara said, glancing through the closing doors to see Shisui on his way over to follow them.

"...Daichi was right.." Itachi said quietly, looking down at him.

"You talked to Daichi?" Deidara asked, but then shook his head. "Sorry, sorry. We gotta go... He's got a gun."

He could feel Itachi's eyes on him as they ran down the hall, but they weren't angry. Itachi apparently knew that he was hiding the whole time and didn't appear to mind. Itachi would have said something wouldn't he? A shout sounded behind them as the older Uchiha came after them. As they turned the corner, a muffled noise startled Deidara. Shisui had shot at them. And a glance back showed that he was taking aim again as he turned the corner a few moments later as well. Was he stupid? It was impossible to run and aim at the same time. He was stupid! He could hit Itachi.

He could hit Itachi.

The thought that barely lasted a second sent his body in a panic. His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught. His body moved without thinking, pivoting in mid step, slamming his smaller frame against Itachi's. The movement made Itachi go crashing into the floor, but he was out of harms way the same time Shisui tried again.

The impact to his side sent him crashing to the ground, hard. It took him a moment to realize that it had been Deidara, shoving him out of the way. What the hell was wrong with his cousin? No matter what Fugaku had said, nothing was worth hurting Deidara over. The yell that Itachi had been preparing to barrel Shisui down with died when he saw the look on his cousin's face. Horrified. The gun clenched in his hand slowly lowering. Turning his head, Itachi followed his gaze.

Deidara had stumbled to a halt several feet away from where he'd shoved Itachi. He was shaking slightly, hugging his chest.

"...Dei...?" Itachi called in a small voice, willing his body out of his shocked stillness to hurry over to him. He caught the blond as his legs gave out, face clenched in pain. Itachi's voice came out in a lost squeak. "Dei?" His hands came back red as he pulled the blond into his lap to cradle him gently. Deidara's whole body was clenched tight, his breath too shallow and wispy.

"Itachi... I... I'm sorry," Shisui stammered, dropping the gun on the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Itachi cried, loosing his composure. "You shot him! What are you standing there for? Call the hospital!"

"...Ita...chi..."

"Shh..." Itachi crooned softly, smearing blood through his blond strands in attempt to comfort him with gently petting. "I'm right here."

"It hurts," Deidara gasped. "I can't... breath."

Itachi rocked him gently, shushing him softly. His whole body was shutting down, numbing so that all he knew was the tiny frame in his arms making soft painful noises as he tried to breath. Nothing else mattered. Nothing but helping Deidara, shushing and crooning in his ear like he was a child who fell and scratched their knees. This was worse then that, but Itachi couldn't move. He couldn't pull his phone out and call and ambulance. He could only pet him, rock him, hold him. The bullet had gone through his back, maybe hit a lung, but Itachi's mind went black, his body cold.

He didn't hear the classroom doors opening in response to his half yell, he didn't notice students and teachers crowding around them, trying to help or just wanting to know what was going on. He should be covering up the wound to stop the bleeding, he should be doing something to help him breath, but he couldn't do anything but hold him close, murmuring softly to him.

"I'm sorry I pushed you," Deidara croaked out, coughing blood from his lips.

"Shh... Don't talk, Dei," Itachi murmured sweetly. "It'll be fine, I'm right here."

"Itachi, I love you," the blond forced out, clenching onto Itachi's shirt. Itachi clutched him tightly, staring down at his pale, blood stained face in shock, but then hands were reaching out, taking Deidara from him. Still he couldn't move.

The paramedics were laying him on a stretcher, yelling at people to move. The police were there. The headmistress, Professor Williams was there. His teachers as well. Deidara was not. They were taking him away from him. They were taking him to a hospital, but Deidara was afraid of hospitals, they shouldn't take him there! He couldn't move. All he could see was his hands, shiny with the wet crimson that had come from Deidara. Deidara's blood. All over his hands. His lap. The floor. His shirt.

"Itachi!"

The sharp female voice shocked him partially out of his trance, looking up at the familiar azure eyes, he almost mistook them for Deidara's, but Deidara didn't wear brown eyes shadow and red lipstick. "He pushed me out of the way," Itachi managed to get out, his voice distant in his own ears.

"Why is he here, Itachi?" the headmistress asked, clutching his shoulders. "Why is Deidara here? He's not a student. Why?"

"Deidara..." Itachi repeated. "He's scared of hospitals... They can't take him."

"They already did," Professor Williams told him. "They already left."

"No!" Itachi jumped up, feeling in his pockets for his keys. "I have to go. I have to go to—"

"Itachi, calm down!" she said, rising. "I will take you to the hospital, you are in no condition to drive."

As she led him down the hall, Shisui moved in front of him. "Takun... I'm so sorry. I—I didn't mean too. I'm s—" he cut himself off when he saw Itachi's face.

"If something happens to him, I'll never forgive you," the brunette said darkly as he was pulled passed his cousin.

The ride to the hospital passed in a dizzy blur. His hands were clenched over his knees, willing the car to go faster. It needed to go faster. Why wasn't she driving faster? It felt like ages before they finally arrived. Itachi didn't even wait until the car was fully stopped before he jumped out, running into the hospital and demanded the front desk of where Deidara was. The nurse sitting there told him that she didn't know and tried to ask him questions to be able to figure out for him, but Itachi was quieted by a hand on his shoulder.

"Deidara Awai," Professor Williams said to the nurse. "He was brought in by an ambulance a few moments ago."

"What are you doing here?"

The three heads turned to look over at the red haired man that had walked up to the counter. He wasn't very tall and looked much too young to be wearing a white coat and holding a folder, but the nurse addressed him as 'Doctor' with a tone of respect, so he must be a real one and just blessed with a young face. A face that looked vaguely familiar to Itachi, but he couldn't place it. The redhead's previous expression hadn't been directed at him.

"Are you dying and are you being an overprotective teacher?" he asked them both when no one answered him.

"Deidara's here," Itachi burst how, hoping that this person may be able to help him. "He's hurt."

"...What moron brought him here?" the doctor demanded, clearly frustrated by the stupidity of mankind, but Itachi didn't care. He seemed to know Deidara. Somehow.

"Sasori—" Professor Williams started to say, but the redhead doctor cut her off.

"You can go home," he snapped at her. "Itachi, right? You may come to the waiting room."

"Doctor Akasuna, you have a class."

"Busy," Sasori said, ignoring the other doctor otherwise that had walked up to them.

Itachi followed the redhead zombie-like to the waiting area for the emergency room. The brunette watched him enter a room that was labeled Hospital Personal Only, seeing him scrub his hands then let the attending pull a sanitized gown on him and walked through another room. Once he was out of sight, Itachi sank to the cushioned chair provided for those waiting. Sasori... Sasori... Sasori was... Deidara's friend. He remembered getting a picture of him from Deidara on the night of the blond's graduation. He was a doctor that had been treating him for years. One that liked to travel. What was he doing here? Deidara... He felt himself go cold again in remembrance of the blond in his lap, face twisted in pain. His eyes were on his hands, soiled with Deidara's blood when Professor Williams came into the room.

"I am allowed to be here," she was telling the nurses who were trying to say otherwise.

"Ma'am only close relatives are allowed in the waiting room. You have to stay in the lob—"

"I am his close relative!" she snapped. "I'm his mother!"


	9. Marianna

[[ Thank you all again for all your reviews! I do like reading them, and all, but I can't reply if you comment anonymously or have the private messaging turned off... just saying~]]

Chapter 9

* * *

"Alright, let me get this straight. Fugaku told Shisui to shoot Deidara and take him to him, but Shisui only shot Deidara and now Deidara's in the hospital here and Deidara's doctor friend just happened to be here...?"

"Teaching a lecture. Which is six hours late," the female doctor who had tried to stop the redhead before said. She was the Dean of Medicine, the head of the hospital. "He's very hard to get because his schedule's so bu—"

Mikoto held her hand up to silence her, not needing that much information. She looked down at Itachi who had his head on her shoulder. "And your teacher is claiming to be Deidara's mother?"

Itachi nodded against her, his brain on complete overload. When Maria Williams had come in claiming that Deidara was her son, it had hit him like a wrecking ball. How had he not put that together? Deidara had said that his mother was foreign and that she was a lawyer, but he never put it together. He was an idiot. They had the same hair, same eyes...

"I thought that Deidara was an orphan," Mikoto said quietly.

"Technically he is," Sasori said, drinking his coffee from a mug that read 'come back when I've had my coffee so I can ignore you again.'

"She left him," Itachi said quietly to his mother.

"She didn't want a boy," Sasori said with a shrug as though he didn't care one way or another, but Itachi had seen how he had reacted Professor Williams out when he'd come out into the waiting room and saw her. He'd been furious and all but physically threw her out of the waiting room. "So she got rid of him."

"What?" Mikoto gasped, horrified with the very thought of a mother abandoning her son like that. Her hand reached up to pet Itachi's cheek as though assuring him that she would never do such a thing to him or to Sasuke. "...and she gave him to Daichi?"

"No," Sasori said. "Mura found him and took him into the his home for unfortunate children."

"I have a question," the Dean said after a short sigh. "Who has his insurance card?"

"He doesn't have any insurance," Sasori said.

The Dean sputtered horrified. "You gave him all those tests, all that medicine and staff when he didn't—"

"I'm covering for him," Sasori replied, cutting the rant that had been rising to a screech. She stared at him in disbelief, but he didn't say anything else on the matter. "Now, as much as I love chattering with you all, I'm far more fond of watching my patients scram in terror when they wake up paralyzed in their own personal nightmare."

"Can I go see him?" Itachi asked him, lifting his head up to look at him.

"You're covered in blood," Sasori replied and walked away.

The Dean sighed irritably and turned to them. "I apologize for Sasori's behavior. He isn't one of my doctors, he shouldn't have stepped in as he did."

"That's alright," Mikoto assured her, cool and professional. "I feel better with someone who knows Deidara personally. Is there a shower where Itachi can wash off the blood so he can see Deidara?"

"That... isn't really allowed," the woman said apologetically. "He can go back to school and—"

"I'm not leaving," Itachi said, firmly.

"I think you can make an exception in this case,:" Mikoto said just as firmly.

It took several minutes to convince the head doctor to let him use the showers to clean himself off. Mikoto called Kisame on Itachi's phone to ask him to bring a change of clothes for Itachi while he stripped and got in under the warm water of the nurse's shower. The moment the water hit him exhaustion washed over him. All that traumatic stress washing down on him with the water. He forced himself to stay awake as he sat in the bottom of the shower by watching Deidara's blood slowly detach from his skin and floated away in dry flakes to spiral down the drain. His mind went back to when he first met the blond. How he disliked him, wanted nothing to do with someone like him. How things had changed... He almost lost him today and it felt like a piece had torn away from him. He still might loose him and it made his chest want to cave into himself.

He didn't want to see him bandaged up with tubes and wires attached to him. In that much pain... terrified of his surroundings. The very thought made him freeze up again. Deidara had been shot in the chest. What if it had hit his lung? What if he couldn't breath at all and he died from it? What if...

His mother and Sasori had found him an hour later in the same position. The redhead watched without offering to help Mikoto as she shut the water off and knelt down to begin drying Itachi off, talking to him to snap him out of his panicked trance. It wasn't until Itachi got dressed did Sasori finally speak.

"Deidara's in his own room now."

Itachi looked up at him and saw the curious look on his face when he didn't react. He supposed he should look happy, relieved. Should be leaping up, demanding to see him, but he didn't move or speak.

"The bullet missed his lung," Sasori continued, watching Itachi's face intently. "It pierced under it and shattered a few of his ribs, one of which inflicted heavy damage to his left lung. He needs to be on a machine to help him breath for a while and he's currently on morphine to numb him and sedatives to keep him from freaking out and blowing his heart rate in a state of panic. The bastard's lucky to the end and survived yet another near death experience. Wish he'd just die and save me all the trouble he causes me."

"He's going to die," Itachi finally said in a quiet voice. "He's too stubborn." It made him smile just a little.

"I know," Sasori said then motioned them to follow him. When they stopped in front of a hallway that was labeled 'ICU', Sasori looked back at them. Itachi was having trouble stepping forward. "I'm assuming Daichi is going to be arriving soon, so you might want some alone time with him before Daichi comes... or Deidara dies."

When Deidara opened his eyes again, his senses were dull and muffled like he was underwater, but slowly cleared into a grogginess with a steady pulsing rhythm. A beeping rhythm which quickened as he realized what it was. He tried to voice his protests to anyone that could hear him, but something was in his mouth, stuck in his throat. It made the beeping go faster with his heart displaying his panic. There were people around him, people he didn't recognize urging him to calm down. How could he calm down? He knew those sounds! This was a hospital! Why was he here? Who brought him here? Why—

"Deidara, hold still or I'll strap you down and stick you with a needle till you bleed to death." Pale skin, brown eyes and red hair came into his blurred vision. Familiar things. "You've got a hole in your back and a tube down your throat.

Deidara still tried to speak to him asking why . Why. Why? Sasori shut him up again and Deidara squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block everything out. Sasori was here though. Why wasn't he telling them to let him go? Reaching out, he gripped Sasori's shirt and tugged it sharply, trying to talk again, but only a horrible whine came out.

Sasori looked down at him, shaking his arm from his grip. "He's in the shower," he informed him, shoving a nurse or two out of the way to check his vitals and that the bandage was on correctly. "Get out. I can do this myself."

"Doctor Akasuna, you're not employed here. We need to—"

"Yes, I'm aware," Sasori snapped. "Get out." Once they were gone, Sasori turned to face him sitting on a stool he pulled over. He looked down at Deidara making a curious look which looked strange with the tube in his mouth, but he understood what he wanted. "I was supposed to be giving a lecture, met a frantic brunette looking for you, stepped into the E.R. Don't try to smile, moron, I don't want my test object dead because someone's retarded. Now blink once for no, twice for yes. Fugaku? That was three, idiot—stop trying to grin. Was he here?"

Deidara blinked once.

"Did he do this? What did I say? There is no thre—ah... he had someone do it for him."

Two blinks.

"Do you know the person that did?" Sasori continued, then gave him an exasperated look. "Are you trying to make three 'sort of"? Right, fine. I told Daichi to make you lay low and instead you set fire to—"

Deidara's face turned furious and he shook his head even as Sasori reached out his hand to still his head. He did not start that fire. Sasori watched him as he slowly calmed down before releasing his head, settling back to watch him wince in pain. With a sigh, he pushed a button to raise his morphine dose then stood.

"You could still die," he told the blond. "The bullet missed your lungs, but broke a few ribs, bruised your lungs and made a small tear. Don't do anything that will make your heart rate or breathing go up."

Deidara reached his hand up and pointed at the breathing tube, but Sasori shook his head. "Not yet. You're silent for the first time in your life; I'm keeping you that way as long as I can. I'll be back, don't panic like a moron, I'm bringing your brunette."

When Sasori left, Deidara squeezed his eyes shut and started singing as loud as he could in his head to keep the hospital sounds out. He hoped Sasori wouldn't keep him here long. God, he hated hospitals. So much... but Itachi was coming soon. Oh shit, Sasori would know about Itachi... He'd have to warn him later about Sasori. Ugh, he could still hear the beeping. He hated this.

His eyes were still squeezed shut when the door opened again, but he didn't open them. Who was it? Not more nurses. Not more needles or tests. Please, please, please no more. Then he heard a voice. A voice so sweet to his ears, relief swept over him. His voice sounded scared and tiny, not like it normally did, but it was Itachi's voice all the same.

"He looks in pain..."

"He's being a wuss," Sasori informed him before giving the bed a kick. "He can't feel anything, he's drinking up morphine." Deidara cracked his eyes opened to look at them. Itachi was staring at him, eyes wider then normal. Did he look paler or was it the hospital lights? Sasori stepped into his vision, a dark smug look on his face. "You're a little bastard," he told him. "That secret. That nasty little secret you plagued me with is him. Your _boyfriend_."

Deidara glared at him, unable to make a noise in protests. He would not touch Itachi. He would not. He would leave them alone, but Sasori looked too smug for him to hope for that. He hadn't heard the end of this. Itachi gave Sasori an expectant expression, waiting until the redhead finally left the room. When Itachi wasn't around he would never, ever hear the end of it.

"A... are you really okay?" Itachi asked, worry plastered to his face. Deidara reached his hand up, waiting for Itachi to shuffle over to take it. He couldn't say anything to assure the brunette. "I was scared... I thought... you were loosing so much blood... I've never seen you like that..."

As Deidara patted the bed, Itachi climbed up next to him, gingerly laying down trying his best not to bump him. Deidara placed his hand on Itachi's head, playing with a strand of his damp hair as he laid his head down on the pillow. The Uchiha was staring at the screens that monitored his heart rate and blood pressure as well as his temperature. He was worried, but with the tub down his throat he couldn't say anything. He wanted so console him so badly. Thankfully Mikoto came in a few minutes later. All she needed was one look at Itachi before she rushed over to him, murmuring soft words to try and calm him down.

"It's alright," she whispered to him. "Deidara's safe. You're both safe. Every thing's alright now."

It was another three hours before Sasori came back to take the tube out of his throat, but he had to keep a plastic mask on his face to help him breath. Daichi came in a few moments later with a few others that Sasori didn't stop from coming in. When questioned by the furious Dean, he reminded her that he didn't work at the hospital so he didn't have to stop them. At least Deidara could talk now. Sort of. Painfully. He grinned at Daichi who looked furious, but in control of his temper. All that slipped out was a grumble of 'you should have fucking told me where you were.'

Before they came, his nurses had given him a bath with sponges, but because of his stitches they couldn't put him in the bath to wash his hair. One of the girls who had come with Daichi had braided his whole head in tiny braids after the nurses had propped him up enough with pillows. Itachi didn't seem to like it, his head still resting on the pillows watching the screens, but his fingers played with the braids. Later he told him that his hair didn't feel right anymore. Once Deidara could talk again, however hoarsely, Itachi had seemed to relax a little. When Deidara assured him that he could barely feel any pain, he watched Deidara's face instead. Monitoring his breath and each wince he gave when he shifted to get comfortable. He'd tried to pull Itachi closer, but the Uchiha seemed paranoid of injuring him by touching him.

"Itachi?" Deidara called softly after everyone had left. The hospital was letting Itachi spend the night with him, but everyone else had to leave. Daichi told them that hey were renting a hotel room several miles away and that they'd be there the next day.

"Yes?" Itachi lifted his head up to look at him. Deidara couldn't see in the dark room, but he knew his face was worried. His voice was clear of that. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he told him. Reaching out he found the back of Itachi's neck and pulled him closer. The movement was with his right arm, but it still strained his left side painfully. Seeing this, Itachi hurriedly leaned forward with out his hand to guide him. "Kiss me."

"...Dei..." Itachi's groan sounded miserable, hovering only just next to his face. "I might hurt you, Deidara... You need to relax."

"I want you to kiss me, un," he repeated, staring at him. Itachi swallowed thickly then leaned over to please his lips over Deidara's, trying to make it as soft and gentle as possible. "More," Deidara demanded softly as Itachi pulled away.

"I can't," he whispered, painfully. "I can't, I can't, Deidara."

"Yes, you can," Deidara told him. "I'm safe Itachi, I'm alright. Please kiss me?"

Itachi's red tinted onyx eyes stared at him. Deidara had never seen Itachi unsure of himself, doubting himself. "You... you said something before they took you away," he whispered softly, shifting himself up on the bed. His hand reached out to cup Deidara's cheek, his thumb gently brushing over the soft skin under his eyes. "Did you mean it? You weren't happy about it before when I said it..."

Deidara stared at him then looked down, his cheeks flushing a little. Covering it up with his breathing mask, he took a few small breaths from it. Crap, he had said it hadn't he. Something that had made him uncomfortable for years; still made him uncomfortable. He couldn't look at him. Why would anyone want to bare themselves that much to someone who could leave at a moment's notice? Why would anyone want to connect with someone so officially with three little words, giving the receiver of those words the power to hurt? Itachi had done it so many times, but he... The last time he said that to someone... No, no. He wasn't going to think about that.

Mother.

"Shit," he muttered, pressing his palms into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Itachi asked in a concerned voice, sitting up a little. "Are you hurting? You don't have to say it, it's alright."

"No," Deidara muttered, letting his hands fall. He looked up at the ceiling and took as deep a breath as his pained lungs would allow. "I did mean it," he said finally.

Itachi smiled and touched his face gently. "Who was the last person you said it to?" he questioned, sensing the root of his turmoil.

"...Mutti," he whispered quietly, closing his eyes. "My mother."

Closing his own eyes for a moment, Itachi leaned down and pressed his forehead against Deidara's. What could he do for him? There really wasn't anything he could say to him that would make him feel better, so instead he just stayed there with him. All night by his side, sleeping soundly with Deidara until the next morning when Sasori came to check on Deidara.

"Two vanilla milkshakes, please," Itachi said to the lady behind the counter of the hospital's cafeteria.

"Certainly dear," she said, turning to make it. "How's Deidara doing?"

Itachi gave a small grin and told her he was fine. Three days of the hospital and the staff knew them both buy name. The blond didn't like the hospital food, but the milkshakes were delicious. To him, they tasted like milkshakes, but Deidara was the expert on the distinctive tastes of ice cream and milk. He was also prone to getting tired of his hospital bed and sneaking out when the brunette was in the bathroom or asleep. The staff had to track him down many times. The ones that believed themselves to be smart were certain that he had very specific places to hide in, but Itachi knew better then to check the same place twice. He might be on the roof taking a smoke, but it'd be a different level and part of the roof each time.

"What can you tell me about what happened, Mrs. Williams?"

Itachi turned to look over his shoulder in surprise. Sitting a few tables down was his teacher and a police officer who was jotting things down on a small note pad. Professor Williams had his back to him, her wavy blond hair pulled back off her face, though Itachi couldn't see it. Her voice sounded tired as she replied to him, "Unfortunately it can't be determined whether or not the shooter was a student of mine, but I greatly hope it wasn't. I was looking at the boy, not the shooter. When I arrived at the scene, the boys were already on the ground and there were too many people around to tell what had happened."

"And what of the rumor that you claimed the victim was your son?" the officer inquired. Itachi still couldn't see her face, but Williams got very silent and tense until the officer got an uncomfortable look on his face and flipped his pad closed.

"Right. Thank you very much. We'll try to keep this as quiet as possible."

"Thank you," she said and shook his head. The officer stood and left, but Professor Williams didn't. She continued to sit and stir her Styrofoam cup with a plastic spoon.

Taking the milkshakes from the woman, he went to her table and dropped his weight heavily into the newly vacated seat. He couldn't help it; couldn't let it go. He was angry at her, furious. He felt deceived, betrayed. This woman was a great lawyer, someone he had looked up to, tried to meet her wit and hopefully overcome it. Yet she turned out to be Deidara's mother. A woman that left her eight year old son on the streets. Her son that still didn't hate her for what she'd done, just mutely accepted that he wasn't good enough for her. Itachi's hands released the milkshakes and clenched on his thighs to keep from destroying the cups and making a mess.

"Itachi," she exclaimed, jumping out of her daydream. "What are you doing here?" When Itachi indicated to the shakes, she gave a short sigh and sipped her tea. "I meant in the hospital."

"Deidara is still here," Itachi replied shortly.

"Oh," she said. "I didn't know you knew the boy who was attacked."

"I didn't know _you_ did either," Itachi glowered.

More silence. Professor Williams was staring intently into her tea. "Sasori told you, I'm sure," she murmured. "He's always given him attention..."

"Deidara told me, actually," Itachi replied sharply. "I had to drag it out of him, but I never thought that it was _you_ who he was talking about."

"What did he say?"

"Does it really matter?" Itachi asked. Memories of the conversation on the mountain came to mind. The stars had been reflecting in Deidara's eyes, the paleness of his hair glowing an eerie exotic hue in the full moon. No contempt, no anger or accusations. In Deidara's mind, it was his fault his mother didn't want him. "Does Deidara have any other siblings you dumped until you got the one you wanted?"

The resemblance to Deidara was shocking as the anger flashed on her face. Eyes sharp and mouth tight with a turn in it's line that demanded to know what gave the opposer the right to oppose. "I only have a daughter," she replied coolly. "I felt terrible for what happened, but you are young and wouldn't understand, un."

"I am not a child," Itachi said to her. "There is not a _logical_ explanation for anyone to leave their child on the curb, just because it's the wrong gender."

"You have no idea how difficult it was—he was!" she snapped angrily, though her voice never rose higher then her previous tone. "I didn't have—"

"There were other choices," Itachi said, getting up. "You don't have to stay here. No one wants to see you here." He didn't wait for an reply. If one was thrown at him it was lost in the well oiled swish of the cafeteria doors. He had to get out of there. A moment more and he might have been kicked out of school for breaking his teacher's face.

"What happened? It's melting, un," Deidara complained when he arrived back to the haven of Deidara's room.

"Sorry Dei," Itachi told him, crawling into the bed with him and watched him suck on the straw anyway. His fingers slowly twisted in the tiny braids of blond hair. Not to long from now, he would have to go back to school. Back to his classes – back to her classes. He could get the classes switched, but that would have to go through her. Being stuck with her for an hour and a half was better then working out a schedule with her.

"Itachi? What's wrong?" Deidara asked.

Bringing himself back to focus, he looked down at those blue eyes and boyish long lashes blinking at him in concern. He sighed. "Did you know?" he asked.

"Know what?"

"Who she was when you picked the school out for me," Itachi replied and reached his hand out to stop the milkshake from going to his lips as a cover up. "Is that why you picked the school? Because she was there?"

"It's a good school," Deidara mumbled in his defense, but his reaction made the answer clear.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Itachi questioned.

"You wouldn't have gone," the blond replied. He started to say something else, but the door opened and he froze, staring at something over Itachi's shoulder.

"She followed me," Sasori's voice said from the area Deidara was staring at. Turning, Itachi expected to see Deidara's mother with the redhead, but there was no one. "Next time get me chocolate," Sasori said to him, picking up Itachi's milkshake on the end table. "...It's melting."

"I made this for you!"

Turning to the other side of the bed, he saw a little girl with curly pig tails and dark Asian eyes standing next to the bed, holding out a hand made card to Deidara. It was pink and very glittery with crayon drawing of a pony with purple spots having a tea party with two people, both with blond hair. Inside was smiley stick figures with wings surrounded by glittery balloons and flowers. On the right hand side were the words 'gEt BetEr!' in misshaped child hand writing.

"I made it myself!" she boasted, swishing her dress that matched the dress the doll in the crook of her arm wore. "My Nana told me what to write! Mr. Sasowi said you were sick so I made it cause getting cards make you better!"

Deidara turned to look at Sasori who was sucking down Itachi's milkshake with his back turned to them, apparently fascinated by a medical chart on the wall. Taking the card gently, he touched the drawing. "It's very pretty... Thank you, Marianna."

The girl gasped. "You know my name?"

"It-.. It's on your visitor's badge, un," Deidara stammered, recovering himself as Sasori scoffed. Itachi didn't say anything, but apparently the girl couldn't read well yet because the badge on her dress only said VISITOR and the date.

"Ohh," she gave him a big grin, a familiar one to Itachi, and swished her dress again then held up her doll. "This is Victoria, she's from France."

"She's very pretty. I like her dress, but it looks cuter on you," Deidara told her, ignoring the looks Sasori and Itachi were giving him, only focused on the girl. Itachi had never heard Deidara talk to someone like this before. He couldn't imagine it was because she was a kid.

"Marianna—" the door opened again, this time Sasori seemed incline to not let this one enter the room, but Professor Williams pushed passed him and knelt down next to the girl. "Sweetheart, you shouldn't have wandered away like that."

"Sorry, Mama," she said, wrapping her little arms around her to be picked up. "I made a card! I wanted to give it."

"Alright sweety, but now it's time to go meet Daddy for lunch," Professor said, lifting her up and hurried out of the room without so much as a glance to the bed.

The silence in the room was almost painful, but Sasori broke it quickly. "Fix your face," he growled to Deidara, snapping Itachi out of his shock enough to look at the twisted expression on his face. "Don't comfort him. He needs to get over himself. Ten _years_, Deidara."

"Shut up."

"She didn't care then, she wont now, so stop expecting her to," Sasori continued.

"Shut up! Why did you let her in then, un?"

"...Clearly I have a weakness of persistent and obnoxious blond midgets," Sasori rationalized. "I didn't think Maria would come in."

"Sasori," Itachi started, but the redhead just continued.

"She doesn't want you. Wake up and get out of your fantasy that she'll change her mind."

"Shut up! Get out!" Deidara yelled, trying to sit up, but Itachi stopped him. "Go away, Sasori!"

"Don't take your anger out of me," Sasori said, his voice staying the same monotonous bored it always did. "At least I tell the truth."

"Leave," Itachi said firmly, standing up to force Sasori back away from the bed. Despite their height difference, it was startlingly hard to do. Sasori stared him down, not moving despite the fact that he had to tilt his head up to look at him. "Please." Sasori scoffed, but turned and left the room with Itachi's milkshake. Itachi didn't feel like having one now anyway.

Deidara was turned way from him when he looked back, face pressed into the pillows. "Dei... don't lay like that, you can still hurt yourself," Itachi told him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," came the muffled reply.

"No, you're not. If you tear your stitches, Sasori will come back in," he reminded him. That got him to roll back over, but his face was still turned away. Itachi tried not to pay attention, but couldn't help his fingers reaching over to touch Deidara's cheeks. The pain on his face caused a twist in his heart. Sasori had brought the girl up on purpose, a strange attempt to make Deidara happy, but he had miscalculated her mother finding her so soon.

"Knock it off," Deidara snapped, shoving him away. "I got glitter in my eye from that stupid fucking card, un."

Silently, Itachi laid down on the bed net to him, his hand rubbing slow gentle circles on Deidara's stomach. Either he didn't care about the touch or he was too preoccupied with the card in his hands to notice.


	10. Unquestionable

Chapter 10 - Unquestionable

* * *

With four days in the hospital, constantly hearing the noises that pulsated unchanging – noises you wanted to change, but new changes meant bad things; smelling the clean that was only covering up the smell of death and decay of sickly flesh - one would grow accustom to it and relax. Deidara defied all logic on a regular basis, so maybe he shouldn't be surprised when Deidara continually complained about wanting to leave. Part of the reason, he was sure had to do with boredom, but Itachi could see the panic in his eyes when he woke up and realized where he was, or a nurse walked in with new medication. The one thing that was back to normal was that the blond couldn't sit still. More then once Itachi returned from the cafeteria to find Deidara gone and one of his nurses getting an earful from Sasori. Today was no different.

"Sasori is going to murder your nurses one day," Itachi informed him as he handed the smoking blond his milkshake. God only knows how Deidara managed to get to the small park in the hospital's backyard without anyone stopping him. Either Deidara was extremely sneaky or the hospital staff was completely daft.

"Good," Deidara mumbled, slowly blowing smoke from his mouth as though he had practiced to perfect the motion.

"You really shouldn't be smoking in your condition," Itachi said under his breath, knowing Deidara wouldn't listen to him if he heard him. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking," was the reply.

"About what?" Itachi prompt, holding Deidara's cigarette while he took a few gulps of the thick sweet cream.

"Marianna," Deidara mumbled, embarrassed. "I haven't seen her in a while... You know that doll she had? I gave it to her... For her birthday a few years ago. She thinks it's from a cousin. Guess she liked it, huh?"

"I didn't know you knew about her," Itachi said with surprise in his voice.

"I... might have been accused of stalking one or two times," Deidara admitted sheepishly. "I missed my mom, un... when I found out she had a baby... she is my baby sister. I don't think mom ever knew it was me sending the presents."

"Marianna was very cute," Itachi said with a nod. "Probably cuter then Sasuke when he was that age."

Deidara snickered softly. "Except when you were with him. You were an adorable kid."

"Right," Itachi scoffed. "When do I get to see young Deidara pictures, hmm?"

"Never," Deidara said shortly. "There are none, un."

"You sure? Itachi pressed, a little disappointed. As Deidara nodded, he sighed and held out the blond's cigarette so he could inhale the nicotine. Pulling out his phone with his free hand, he text Daichi to ask him.

'of course' was the reply, followed by a picture text of a younger looking Daichi with red streaked hair and less facial piercings as well as a much younger looking Deidara sitting next to him looking pissed and not talking to each other. Then another came of them sitting down at a table, the young Deidara proudly eating his veggies that Daichi was apparently trying to hide under his plate. 'Rin has albums of everyone you can see them when you visit if you want. no baby pics though, sorry.'

Itachi smiled a little as he replied 'thanks, he said there were none.'

"Who are you texting?" Deidara asked curiously, finishing off his cigarette so he could focus on his tasty milkshake.

"Daichi wants to know if you've made a master escape plan yet," Itachi lied, tucking his phone into his pocket. "I told him you were almost at window jumping point."

"Ugh," Deidara sighed with an exasperated tone as he kicked the dirt off the ground. "Fuck Sasori. He's never going to let me go, un. Be careful he doesn't get you alone in a room with a door. He probably wants to run chemical experiments on you, un."

Itachi gave a soft, meek chuckle then let Deidara rest his head on his shoulder. "I'll be careful," he assured him. "But when you get out, you have to go home," he reminded Deidara quietly. Their sneaking was blown. Professor Williams wouldn't allow Deidara back in the school now which meant two more years, plus specialty college and no Deidara except on his short breaks.

"Maybe she'll let me stay," Deidara said, the hopeful tone in his voice was weak. Did he really think his mother would be alright with this? After everything, Deidara believed that something would change his mother's mind about him? Itachi imagined how he would have felt if his mother had left him and yes... he would try to do anything to get her affection back, but his mother was the kindest, most loving person in the world and would never do something like that to him, or to Sasuke.

"Do you really believe she'll let you?" Itachi asked softly, watching the blond's faint smile fade to nothing.

"No," Deidara replied honestly. "I'll go home and wait miserably for you to come back, un."

Itachi's eye brow raised in surprise, staring at Deidara without meaning to. "You will?" he asked in shock. Not because Deidara was willing to go home now, but to wait for him. Did he really mean that?

"Don't think I can?" Deidara asked him, amusement clear on his face as he turned to look at Itachi, licking away a bit of milkshake from his lip.

Glancing away, Itachi frowned at himself for letting the question slip. "I didn't think you would want to," Itachi admitted, glancing back at Deidara and found him smiling. Apparently there had been no offense taken. "Who's going to take care of you though?"

Deidara laughed. "I can take care of myself, un," he attempted to assure Itachi, failing miserably as he continued. "I took care of myself that time I tried to fly off the roof of that building, remember?" Itachi felt his the muscles on his face tighten as he cringed, remembering Deidara's tales of his drug induced adventures and the scars he received from it. This new scar he had on his back wasn't from a crazy adventure or a client with a sadistic fetish. He had pushed Itachi out of the way to keep him safe. Shisui had lost his mind in his jealousy, egged on by Fugaku's lies and had almost killed Itachi, but Deidara had saved him at the cost of his own pain. Now he had two broken ribs, a bruised lung and a hole in his back because of it.

"Do you think I can still visit?" Deidara was asking. "Like on weekends?"

"I hope so," Itachi replied with a soft chuckle. "Though I doubt my saying no would stop you," he added teasingly, playing with one of the small braids of blond hair.

"He better not try until he's healed, otherwise I'm going to lock him in my basement," a dry voice said behind them. Both turned to look at Sasori standing directly behind them with his hands in the pockets of his jacket watching the two of them with a doll like expression. It was impossible to tell how long he was standing there, a rather unnerving thought to Itachi, especially since he was only a few inches away from them. "The dean of medicine says Deidara can't stay any more. Apparently you take up space and she claims you're well enough to go home to one of the city hospitals."

"What? That's bull, I don't want to go to one of those shitty hospitals. I don't even want to be in this one, un," Deidara protests, starting to jump up, but Itachi caught him before he did, pulling him gently, but firmly down onto his lap. "I feel fine, can't I just go home? Or stay with Itachi?"

"There's nothing you can do?" Itachi asked, wrapping his arms around Deidara's stomach to calm him down.

Sasori took his hands out of his pockets to make a gesture of defeat. Itachi didn't like the redhead very much, but he trusted him like Deidara to do everything possible to get his own way, but the head doctor seemed to have put her foot down. He still wasn't getting his way as Sasori tried to tug Deidara off his lap so he could check his vitals, but Itachi held onto him closely. Deidara was going home. Leaving him behind. It was one thing to talk about it, another to hear it and know it was definite. The blond wouldn't stay at the hospital in the city. He was barely staying at this one and it was only because Sasori and Itachi were here to keep him in place and still he slipped passed them. Sasori's brown eyes hardened for a brief second before slipping the normal blank expression as he gazed over Itachi's shoulder. Deidara followed it and cringed on top of him, clarifying who was approaching.

"Itachi, you need to return to class," he turned to face Maria Williams walking up to them with Marianna and Professor Koga Awai. As they walked closer, Itachi glanced at Deidara. He'd never seen Deidara shrivel into silence so fast and for so long. He really seemed to want to be good for them.

The brunette held onto Deidara's waist and looked back at the professors. "I'd like to take some time off, Professor," Itachi said a little stiffly. "I can talk to my teachers and follow the lesson plan from home."

"Unacceptable," Professor Williams said sternly. "You've been breaking school rules sneaking him onto school property, I can't reward you for that."

"But he's your—" Itachi cut himself off as a sharp pain resignated from his thigh where Deidara had pinched him. "...daughter's friend," he finished instead with a mumble. "Couldn't you make an exception? He's still healing. Maybe he could stay in the dorms? At least until he's well enough to go home himself."

"He is not," Professor Awai said in a solid tone that clearly meant to answer the unfinished one. But he was. Everyone present knew that, except for the little girl.

"He is Daddy!" Marianna chirped, shaking the man's hand. "I like him! If he stays at school I can plays with him while mommy and you are working!"

Itachi looked at the picture before him. Mother, father, daughter. It was hard to imagine looking at them that there was a son that should be standing there, almost an adult, but instead he was sitting on Itachi's lap, barely holding himself together as he watched the family he wanted so badly to be accepted in, but never would.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Professor Williams said in a chipped voice. "I will excuse you for two more days, then you must return to your classes. And if he is caught sneaking back in, you will loose your privileges to my school."

"But mommy—"

"Marianna, sweetheart," she said, kneeling down to lift the girl up in her arms. "I know you want to play, but they have to go home now. And so do we." She gave her a soft kiss on her cheek, smiling affectionately at her daughter then turned to leave with her husband, giving the three of them a final warning look.

"I can't wait until that kid figures it out," Sasori commented dryly then turned to look at the two of them."Mikoto is here. She's going to take you back."

Itachi nodded his thanks and slid Deidara off his lap so he could stand himself. As they walked back to the hospital, Sasori shadowing them an annoying distance away, Deidara lit another cigarette and gave Itachi a fake smile to get him to put away the worried expression on his face. Itachi mirrored the smile then reached his arm around to rest on his far shoulder. "Why is he following us like that?" he whispered in his ear.

Deidara gave him a curious expression then glanced back. "What?" he demanded, giving Sasori a dirty look.

"I might postpone my next trip for a few days," Sasori said, his eyes drifting up to the sky as though he wasn't following, quite literally, half a step behind them. "Keep my eye on you."

Those words sent a slight chill down Itachi's spine. He didn't think the redhead meant just Deidara. Itachi didn't want to be anywhere near Sasori, nor did he want Deidara to be close to him anymore. Why the blond trusted him, he was at a loss, but he had the sense that they'd been together for a long time. Thank god when his mother approached them, Sasori finally stepping away from them to let Mikoto in the bubble. From what Itachi could see, Sasori liked controlling the situation. Being the one who stepped into others personal bubbles, pulling the strings. When someone else stepped in, he would back away. Mikoto hugged them both, Deidara much more gently, but still full of affection and led them up the elevator to Deidara's hospital room where they had to pass the various expressions of amusement and harassment from the nursing staff who Deidara had slipped by.

"I heard about Deidara having to go home," Mikoto said, fussing over the blankets as Deidara climbed back up onto the bed so the nurses could make sure he wasn't going to die any time soon. "If you want, I would like for you to stay with Sasuke and I so that I can watch you. When you're stable enough you can move back into your place."

"Professor Williams is giving me more days off," Itachi put in. "I can bring some of Deidara's things over and help."

"I hate being fussed over," Deidara grumbled after Mikoto went out to speak to the nurses about the things she would need to know to take care of the blond.

"You're full of it," Itachi said with a laugh, laying back on the bed next to him. "You love it." He rested on his side and smiled at him, reaching out to touch his cheek, pulling the unraveling braids off his skin. "When we get home, I'm going to take you to a salon and get your hair washed and taken care of so you don't have to wear the braids anymore... I don't like them ... I miss your hair loose."

"Me too, un," he mumbled, tugging at one of the pieces. "I feel pretty gross."

"You look gross," Itachi teased, shaking his head to show he was kidding when Deidara shot him a dirty look. Two days... that was barely any time for them to be together, but at least Deidara would be at his mother's house, safe from anything his father could throw at him. Hopefully.

"Are you going to carry me for the rest of my life?" Deidara asked as Itachi lifted him out of the car. The brunette replied with a neutral grunt and took him up the stairs to the bedroom he had grown up in. Mikoto had kept Itachi's room just as he left it, except for the new blankets and little things Itachi had taken with him such as his alarm clock and desktop items. Deidara watched Itachi stare around the room for a moment, taking in the memories of his room before laying the blond on the bed and crawled up.

"This bed is still insanely comfortable, un," he murmured, turning his head to rest against Itachi's.

The brunette groaned softly in agreement, snuggling into the blankets and pillows. Deidara laughed softly and turned his body to the side so he could face him, but Itachi reached out and rolled him back over on his side. "You need to be careful," Itachi reminded him. "No going out to parties or racing or drinking or anything like that."

"Yes I know," Deidara grumbled.

"And you can take baths, but no showers, you can't get the bandages wet," Itachi continued. "And you really should cut back on your smoking. Your lung is still healing and is at risk when you—...sorry... I'm just worried," he mumbled in response to Deidara's glaring expression.

"Really? Gee, I couldn't tell, un," Deidara commented, rolling his eyes. "So I guess you're going to tie me to the bed now?" That devious grin returned to his face, his hand sliding up Itachi's thigh. "Keep me from going anywhere, un?"

Itachi caught his wrist, placing it back down on Deidara's waist. "No," he said firmly, "we can't do that."

"Sure we can," Deidara crooned, lifting his hand again to slide up Itachi's waist and chest, but Itachi caught his hand again and placed it down again, shifting on his side and reached out to cup Deidara's cheek, his arm resting across Deidara's chest to weight him down gently.

"No, Deidara we can't," Itachi repeated sternly, rubbing his thumb gently across the soft skin of his lower lid. "I will hurt you, your stitches will tear. You need to take it easy for a while."

"You don't have to worry so much, un," Deidara assured him. "I've survived worse."

"Maybe, but what kind of drugs were you taking then?" Itachi demanded then sighed gently. "Would you like for me to go get some of your things or take you to get your hair done?" He pet Deidara's cheek and fidgeted with his earring until Deidara reached up to rub it to stop the tickling.

"Well I can't go get pretty in gross clothes I've been wearing for three weeks," Deidara said, grinning up at him.

"You have not," Itachi reminded him with a grimace at the thought. Itachi had given him clothes to wear and had washed Deidara's for him in the school's laundromat. "Alright, I'll be right back," Itachi assured him, getting up. "Be good. I'll bring you a milkshake."

Going downstairs, he told his mother where he wanted to go and asked if he could borrow her car since his was still at school. Smiling, she handed him the keys and told him to drive safe, kissing him on the cheek as she stood up from feeding the excited kitten at her feet. Daichi greeted him when he arrived, cleaning his hands off with a rag so he could shake his hand. Itachi gave him the updated status for Deidara, letting him know that he would be staying at his parent's house.

"Good," Daichi said with a nod. "Mikoto will take care of him there. There isn't really anyone around here who's got time to take care of anyone else."

Nodding to show he understood, Itachi glanced at the door to the bunks. "I'm picking up some clothes for him," Itachi told him.

"Wont have much," Daichi admitted. "Most of his things burned with the fire, but there's probably a few in his bunk."

"Thanks."

Itachi stepped through the doorway, looking up at the familiar room of four level bunks. There were a few changes, a few bunks empty that had been full, others full that had been empty. He looked up at the fourth bunk in the corner and smiled. He'd spent many days in that bunk, hiding under the covers, shushing the hot body under him. It hadn't been that long ago, but they seemed so young then. Deidara had filled out a little since then, his tiny, thin body had more muscle on it and lacked the starved, drug addict aspect of his previous self. He was much healthier now, clean except for the alcohol. Deidara did love his booze. Still... as he laid down on Deidara's lumpy used mattress, he took a deep breath. Mmm, smelled like Deidara's favorite shampoo. Deidara still felt the same under the covers though, writhing and fighting in pleasure to tangle into the blankets of his dorm room until his roommate returned. Itachi respected Kisame and had his own pride not to have someone walk in on them, though Deidara frequently tried to get him to do stuff in the night when Kisame was asleep in the bed on the other side of the room. But now he would be alone, going back to sleeping with his arms around a pillow.

Damn it.

Stepping out of his mother's car, he shut the door and pushed the button on the keys to alarm the car. The red duffel bag was slung over his shoulder, full of as much clothes as he could fit after he finally got control over himself and his frustration, as well as a few thing from his bathroom bag he thought he might want. He glanced up at the window where his room was and smiled at the blond smiling down at him from the open space with a cigarette between his lips. Glancing back behind him as a giant car pulled up, Itachi raised an eyebrow and glanced back up at Deidara who's eyes were widening in recognition, but turned away before he saw the panic in his face. Out of the giant Hummer came a familiar tiny redhead with the same blank expression Itachi had seen on him last time he saw him.

"Hello Itachi Uchiha," he said with a nod. "Would you come with me for a moment? I'm sure you'd like to know how to take care of Deidara. And I have some questions for you."

"...Wont it be better to do it in the house with Deidara?" Itachi asked, remembering Deidara's nervous demeanor with Sasori towards himself.

"No," Sasori said, pointing at his car to let Itachi know he wanted him to get in.

The brunette thought for a moment. Deidara did trust Sasori, so he couldn't be too bad. Turning to set the bag at the front door next to the milkshake he'd bought, he went to the car and got into the passenger's seat. Even as he put his seat belt on, a feeling of dread came over him. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, but Sasori was already getting into the driver's seat - more like climbing up into it, Sasori was an inch or two shorter then Deidara. And he considered Deidara to be tiny. Glancing back at the house as they pulled away, he saw Deidara opening the front door, staring at him in horror. Itachi pulled out his phone and showed it to him then text Deidara's phone to let him know it was fine. They turned the corner before he could look up from the texts so he couldn't see what Deidara was doing.

Neither of them spoke on the drive out of the city, through the country area and up a long driveway. The house they pulled up to was an elegant European style house with two floors and a slanted roofed attic. The roof was a dark onyx, the walls a dark brick. The lawn was wide and lush green and well kept with hundreds of trees, and flowers. Either Sasori enjoyed gardening as much as Deidara enjoyed blowing things up, or he had a professional gardener working for him. A few of the trees that had grown maturely had been sawed off half a foot off the ground, but the rest of the tree was no where to be seen. The hummer pulled up around the round driveway and stopped at the front doors. Itachi followed Sasori through one of the double doors he opened and stepped in. The foyer was huge, white tile and a high ceiling. From what he could see, there was a large living room to the right and a hallway and another room on the left. Ahead was a wide spiral staircase and the main hallway.

This hallway was where Sasori led him, taking him through the kitchen and down the stairs to the basement. Itachi paused again, watching the redhead disappear down the stairs. Damn, this really seemed like a bad idea. Deidara went down there. Deidara let him. He wanted to know more about Deidara and how he lived. Maybe if he let Sasori do this he would understand him better. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and looked at his phone. Deidara had sent him a few texts, all of them asking if he was alright and telling him not to go with Sasori and to come home. He text him back saying he was alright and would be back soon, then closed his phone and followed Sasori down the stairs to his basement.

Itachi had been expecting a room that looked like something a mad scientist would have, dark and dirty full of thick chains and shackles, shelves with eye balls and disfigured hands in glass bottles and a table with straps on it. Instead at the bottom of the stairs was a wide room, beige carpet and florescent lights. The walls appeared to have been white at some point, but now it was covered in multiple colors of spray paint, markers and crayons, displaying pictures and tags. There were different levels of artistic talent there, from a child's crayon drawings to a skilled artistic hand. Itachi wondered how many other people Sasori had brought down here, but then he noticed the signature on some of them.

They were all Deidara's.

"He hates the white walls," Sasori's voice snapped him out of his staring. "I let him have the basement to color."

"That was nice of you," Itachi said politely, not really having anything else to say in response. The way Sasori talked, even if he started the conversation always seemed to be ends of conversations. Itachi suspected he'd practiced perfecting that to keep people from talking to him, the only person who could go up against such a skill was someone like Deidara who was almost impossible to intimidate and could talk your ear off about nothing.

"It was either this or the entire house," Sasori said blankly. "No one sees this part."

"...No one sees the rest of your house either," Itachi reminded him, raising an eye brow.

Sasori gave him a narrow eyed expression. "I do," he stated then moved to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick black volume that read Encyclopedia V. XIII. The book didn't come out all the way, latching in place halfway out of the rest of the books with a small click, opening a door hidden by the bookcase next to it.

Well, that was a start to what Itachi had been expecting, though not really the door-behind-the-bookcase-with-the-book-latch stereotype. As the room behind the bookcase became visible, Itachi swallowed a little and looked around. Everything was sterile as a hospital room, metal and florescent lights. There were two medical tables in the middle of the room, parallel to each other. Near by was a table with a computer, bottles labeled with words Itachi had never seen before, files neatly organized with an X-ray light tray above it. A double door fridge held items Itachi was a little worried to examine.

"Deidara's wound," Sasori started, sticking up a black plastic sheet on one of the light tray and turned it on. Pointing at the x-ray as Itachi came over to look. "Bullets shatter bones. Because of the location, one rib shattered, the other cracked here and here."

"What's that?" Itachi asked after studying the x-ray of Deidara's upper torso. He reached out to point out the area he was indicating to, the part of the scapula and then at the humorous bone that looked different from their opposite twins.

"That is healed breaks," Sasori replied. "I think Deidara might be a reigning champion at doing reckless things without getting hurt, but there are always accidents. I'm sure you've heard of some of them. This break here on the scapula, as well as the cracked skull and broken clavicle you can't see is from his attempt at flying. The break in the humorous is from a car accident and this one here on the other side was from falling out of a window."

Itachi squinted at the last one he pointed out. "You can barely see that one," he commented.

"Yes, well, that was from a long time ago," Sasori said. "He jumped out of second story window trying to escape from Daichi to go back to his mother." Itachi blinked, his expression freezing as he turned to look at Sasori, but before he could react, the redhead had changed the subject. "His bone has been set - as well as one can set a rib bone, but because of his stay in the hospital getting cut short, he's going to need extra attention. Twice a day, wash the wound with peroxide and don't let him talk you out of it, he hates that stuff. I'll give you an antibiotic ointment to put on under a bandage as well as some pain killers... though I don't recommend leaving them in his care," Sasori's voice trailed off as he began talking like he was speaking to himself, examining the x-ray then went to the table to turn his computer on.

"Get on the table," the redhead finally said, aloud and clear.

"Uhh... I'd rather not," Itachi said, glancing at the restraint straps on the table. "You had questions for me?"

Sasori turned to look at him with an irritated expression when he didn't listen to him. "Why are you dating Deidara?" he questioned, going up to him and thrusting a thermometer into his mouth. When Itachi tried to take it up Sasori raised an eye brow at him, "I can stick it somewhere else."

"...Jealous?" Itachi asked around the thermometer that he decided not to take out of his mouth as the redhead checked his blood pressure.

"Of course not," Sasori stated dully, making a note of what he was reading off the dial then took the thermometer to write that down too. "I'm merely attempting to understand the unnatural situation. Deidara has sold his body in exchange for money and drugs. You're comfortable with that?"

"No," Itachi replied. "But I trust Deidara and know he's clean of that now."

"I could tell you stories about Deidara that would send you screaming," Sasori informed him with a grin that made Itachi's hair stand on end. "Things he's done that I've made easier for him to hide from the world. Things he's let people do to him."

"I'd rather not hear," Itachi said shortly. "I understand there's things in Deidara's past, but if he's not ready to tell me, I don't need to hear."

"You're not even the slightest bit curious?" Sasori asked, frowning at him, almost disappointed.

"No," Itachi answered. "Deidara said you would want to test me because you wouldn't understand why I'm with him. I'd like to get it over with so I can go back to him. We don't have much time together."

Hazel eyes bore a hole into his forehead trying to x-ray scan his mind to gain the knowledge he wanted, but Itachi wasn't so easily weakened and read. He wasn't a fool and Sasori wasn't going to get him to give in and listen to him telling him things about Deidara that would haunt his mind and make him worry. "Alright," the redhead said finally. "I'll be quick then."


	11. Peace

**[[ thanks all for your reviews!**

**and to anonymous reviewer who didn't leave your name - I've been thinking about that. If anything I may, eventually, write their story. No promises, but maybe...]**

**Chapter 11  
**

* * *

"I want to race."

Never before would he ever imagine that someone could be so persistent. If someone had told him such a person existed he would not have believed them. Deidara defied any and all classifications of normal to the point of ridiculousness. The whole afternoon after they learned of the race event that night, all he heard about was his racing. Continually reminding him in his gentle voice that he had been in the hospital not a week ago for a gunshot wound and racing with no value to your own life on a motorcycle was not the greatest idea in the world. The blond reminded Itachi that he had been through worse after all and still raced, which Itachi only sighed to and forced him back into bed with a lure of video games and cuddles. The time off Professor Williams had given him had been spent with Deidara, or at least within yelling distance of him. Many of his professors had been understanding of his situation and allowed him to do his work remotely and email them his finished work, but it made his workload doubled because of the extra researching he had to do. Deidara didn't like this at all and did his best to distract him until Itachi lost his usually large amount of patience with him and yelled at him. He had never done it before and felt a painful stab of guilt when Deidara stopped in mid-sentence and stared at him, then wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the evening. The rest of the week, Itachi had tried to pace himself better with school so he could entertain Deidara who was restricted to his bed and the downstairs sofa.

Tonight was their first night out since the incident and Deidara was jumping the gun with his healing abilities. Even in the ride over there he talked about racing tonight, but Itachi trusted one person to stamp down Deidara's reckless nature and wasn't disappointed.

"Absolutely not," Daichi said and took another sip of his coke, with a closing air. Conversation over. No arguing.

Itachi tried hard not to be immature and inform Deidara that he told him so as the blond tried to argue, but was met with a hard glare that shut the blond up almost instantly. Sliding his hand around the blond's waist, he dragged him away to get a drink and hopefully calm him down.

"This fucking pisses me off," came the grumble at his shoulder.

Giving another sigh, Itachi swung him around and embraced him tightly, but gently. "Dei, you're way too eager," he whispered in his ear. "You're going to hurt yourself again, I couldn't watch you race tonight..."

"I'd be fine," Deidara's grumble was muffled against his leather jacket, but he had been hearing the tone so much throughout the day so he knew what he was saying.

"I know," Itachi assured him, even though he didn't think so. Deidara responded best to praise, so Itachi would continue feeding his ego while slowly rubbing his ideas down to a normal human capacity level. "Next time you race I'll come down from school, so I can watch, alright?"

There was only a small grunt in response, but Itachi was happy that he wouldn't try tonight. Releasing him from the hug, they walked together to get drinks, Itachi passing over the cash to the collector and let Deidara open his bottle for him. The blond began drinking instantly while Itachi sipped his slowly, keeping an eye on him. Irritated at being denied his dangerous racing, who knew what Deidara would get into drunk.

"Why don't you race?" Deidara asked, standing up on his toes to rest his chin on Itachi's shoulder, tipping the bottle up.

Itachi smiled a little and led him over to a row of roadblocks that would make a decent perch to view the races. "I'd rather not," he told him, watching the startled look blossom on Deidara's face. "I'd rather watch over you. Who knows what trouble you'll get in pissed and drunk with all these horny assholes around."

"Oooh," Deidara crooned in a knowing voice, egged on by the alcohol he'd consumed far too quickly. "Wouldn't want you to go all postal on everyone out of jealousy."

"I'm not jealous," Itachi muttered, giving Deidara a look. "I do not need to be."

"Oooh, so confident," Deidara laughed, hopping off the cement blocker and leaned against his leg. "I'm still thirsty, Itachi..."

"You shouldn't have drank that bottle so fast," the brunette reprimanded, gesturing to his own still nearly full bottle.

"If I'm not going to race, I might as well get drunk," the blond informed him, giving him a meaningful look.

"So I'm just here for my wallet then?" Itachi teased, smiling at the pout that instantly crossed Deidara's face. "I'm teasing," he added, just to be sure the blond knew he didn't mind.

"You better be... you don't want me trying to get other people to buy me drinks," Deidara said with a Cheshire grin.

With a roll of his eyes to show the blond that he wouldn't be drawn into his attempts at making him jealous, he handed Deidara his unfinished drink and motioned for them to get up and move around. There was betting on cars going on in one corner, something that caught Deidara's eye quickly. Itachi wasn't keen on betting his money on drivers he didn't know, but before he could turn down the offer to pitch in, Deidara accepted it. It was a little nerve wrecking to have someone slightly drunk bidding with his money - or well... his mother's money - but despite his concerns they walked away with three times what he came with. The brunette was impressed and asked him if he wanted to keep going, but a voice from behind stopped the conversation before the blond could answer.

"Let him stop when he wants to. Otherwise you'll end up broke."

Itachi glanced behind him at the redhead. "You know from exper-"

"Go away, Sasori!" Deidara interrupted, moving to push the man away from them, but stumbled and slumped against him instead. Itachi could see how the people here could get the wrong idea about Deidara's intentions and was even more grateful he hadn't left him to go race. Over his shoulder, Sasori's eyes sharpened angrily. Any other situation and Deidara might have had his brains blown out for touching him. Itachi carefully righted Deidara again in case the redhead changed his mind about not killing him. "You can't have Itachi, he's mine," Deidara added, latching onto Itachi possessively. An action that made the brunette grin a little despite himself.

"I'm not here to take Itachi away," Sasori replied, his eyes moving over the blond carefully but almost unnoticeable. What he was here for, he didn't say, but Itachi suspected it was to make sure Deidara didn't do anything stupid. A kind gesture from the redhead. If one could combine those words when referring to Sasori.

Before the conversation could continue, Daichi approached the trio with his hands loosely tucked into his pockets, a white stick of a lollipop between his lips. The two older men shared a nod of greeting, before Daichi reached up to take the candy from his mouth. "We're moving locations," he said to them.

The calm, but serious tone of his voice sent Itachi's systems up in alarm. Were the cops on the way? Was there someone here? Was he going to get arrested? Did he care? He paused in his mental panic and took a breath. It was still hard for him to imagine himself at home without worrying about his father being there and finding out what he was doing. He did as much as possible to defy his father then... but still had the panic of him finding out. His mother probably would be concerned, but wouldn't be angry if he called her from the police station. However, he didn't want to get arrested while on this special leave from school. Being arrested for doing something illegal while attending law school didn't seem the best way to give himself credit. He looked down at Deidara, expecting them to be jumping up to run to their cars but no one had moved. The statement wasn't one for panic, but caution.

"Where are we going?" he asked, reaching up to stroke the blond strands of Deidara's hair. Dating Deidara, who worked his hardest to be on the wrong side of the law was also something that wouldn't give himself very good credit, but that was something he wouldn't change.

"The mountain side where Deidara first saw you drifting," Daichi said with a small upturn of his lip.

"Cool," Deidara said, sliding out of Itachi's arms and started walking back to the car. "Lets blow this joint, un! I'm driving."

"No you're not," Itachi said firmly, moving to quickly follow after the blond, leaving the two men behind him chuckling after them.

A few minutes of arguing - and arguing with a drunk Deidara was not the easiest thing in the world to do, Itachi drove the two of them out of the parking structure and back into the city streets, heading for the outskirts of the mountain side, Deidara slouched and pouting in the seat next to him. Around him were a few cars he recognized from the race, but instead of continuing the train of cars, he pulled down a different street, noticing a few heads turning in question in them before they continued on their way. Deidara turned his own head to follow the line of cars they just left then looked back at Itachi in confusion.

"Are you kidnapping me?" Deidara asked, making Itachi laugh softly.

"I don't think it's kidnapping if the kidnapped likes it," Itachi said letting his laugh die out into a chuckle. Pulling the car to the side of the road, he let it sit idle, humming softly in neutral as he leaned back against his seat, feeling it give just a little before catching it's latch and holding his weight. His gaze drifted to the ceiling of his car, looking at the indents of fingers pressed so heavily into the soft foam that they stayed imprinted long after the passion ended. A faint smile crossed his lips as he looked up at them, then back down at Deidara who was drawing on his converses with a silver sharpee marker. Knowing the blond didn't value the drunken art on his shoes very high, Itachi didn't feel bad interrupting him by unbuckling Deidara's seat belt and tugging him over onto his lap. With a soft grunt, he fumbled for the latch at his side to shift the seat back so the both of them would fit between his seat and the steering wheel. Deidara gave a yelp of surprise as he dropped the sharpee to the abyss of the car floor where Itachi would find and return it when he cleaned his car next.

"Hi," Deidara said in an adorable tone that only the happy drunks could have.

"Hi there," Itachi replied with a smile, cuddling Deidara close to him before continuing in a soft voice. "You saved my life Dei... I could have been shot that day, but you pushed me out of the way."

The thin body in his arms arched slightly as Deidara sat up straighter, beaming with pride. "Well, I'm just amazing like that," he informed him, raising his fist in a victory punch but managed to smash his hand on the ceiling and let a stream of curses run out his mouth. Hiding his laugh so Deidara wouldn't get angry, he nuzzled his shoulder and kissed his neck gently, then his hand when Deidara lift it to show him the injury. There wasn't much sense talking to Deidara at this point. He wouldn't remember it tomorrow, nor would he give him insightful replies while drunk. No, for now he would hold him as Deidara started rambling on about nonsense that Itachi barely could understand from the quick speech he was using. Later he would try again.

The courthouse was silent as the case was brought forward, the only sound was the shuffling of clothes and the creak of old wooden benches as the audience stood in honor of the entering judge. What made this judge honorable was unknown to the audience, but tradition compelled them to stand until the black robed man asked them to be seated. Formality, tradition. These were things Itachi was raised on and these were things he was learning in school. He had never second guessed them before he met Deidara. A robot to the teachings of his superiors until Deidara taught him that life could be enjoyed and not just lived. It had been a long while since many in the audience had seen the previous head of the Uchiha family. The courthouse was crowded with people wanting to hear the verdict of the newly called accusations, so much so that many remained standing in the back of the room after the judge bade them sit. Many here still respected and praised Fugaku Uchiha. Those who refused to believe even the previous accusations against him. How could such a respectable man spend his time at home beating his eldest child? Some of those were members of the family, but they wouldn't step up to help him. Just being found guilty was a sham on the Uchiha name. Uchiha was a respectable and old name and did not take kindly to blemishes. Daichi was in the crowd as well with many from the garage, something Itachi hadn't expected. While the mechanic did very well keeping a low profile, he was still one of the major ring leaders in the illegal street racing and a houser for drug addicts and prostitutes, even if he didn't promote them. Daichi wasn't their pimp, he was the big hearted Good Samaritan that tried to keep them in school and give them skills to get real jobs. But he was still a wanted man.

He could feel Deidara's tense nervousness next to him on the bench. He bounced his leg, chewed on his nails and fingered the cigarette pack in his pocket, obviously wanting to bolt out of the courtroom to smoke. Instead, he sat nicely and waited out the debates of the lawyers and witness questions. Shisui's testimony closed the deal with the jury. He hadn't expected Shisui to come out and turn against his family. No one but an Uchiha would understand that that was what he was doing. Their family had so much pride and honor, but still Shisui stood up and told how Fugaku had called him and told him how he wanted Deidara out of the picture because he was poisoning Itachi's mind and ruining his figure. Something had to be done, but Fugaku couldn't talk to Deidara because the blond had run away to Itachi's school where Fugaku couldn't go. He had given Shisui the gun and told him to go get Deidara for him. Get him and bring him to Fugaku with whatever means needed. More the once while being questioned his cousin found him in the crowded audience, but wouldn't meet his gaze, dropping his eyes to the speckled marble floor the instant he saw Itachi looking at him. Itachi hadn't spoken to his cousin since the incident and made up his mind to do so later. What would he say to him? Wha-

All thoughts of Shisui stopped when a head turned to look at him from the front of the room. His father's features were calm and confident, but Itachi knew better. That tight line at his mouth, the sharpness in his eyes.. He was furious. It took all of Itachi's will power not to cringe at the man, envisioning the beating he knew came with those features. He remembered the look on Fugaku's face when he saw him with Deidara in his parents room. At the time he had thought he was at the highest peek of his anger. This moment was beyond that anger. If they were alone, he would fear for his life. Then he realized the man wasn't look at him.

His eyes dropped to the blond sitting next to him. Deidara had bristled when he noticed Fugaku's gaze. He was not afraid though. No. Deidara was not afraid at all. His arrogant smirk was small and hard to notice but it welcomed Fugaku's silent threat gleefully. Accepting the challenge of another attempt at his life. Deidara's arrogance strengthened Itachi's bravery. He would not be afraid of his father's wrath for Diedara's sake. Straightening his posture suddenly drew his father's attention off Deidara and onto himself. Putting his arm around Deidara's shoulder, he let his eyes narrow at his father with his own threat, drawing the blond closer to himself as Deidara lifted his gaze to look at him curiously then followed Itachi's stare back to his Fugaku. Seeing the clear irritation at the obvious violation of Fugaku's Standards of Uchiha 101, Deidara followed Itachi's lead, though misunderstanding the brunette's intent, leaning against him with a comfortable smile Itachi could just see by the sudden plumping of his cheeks. Itachi's intent had been 'don't you dare touch my boyfriend again', but suddenly didn't mind playing on his father's sever dislike of Itachi's choice of mate.

A hand on his knee stopped him from leaning down to smother his armful with exaggerated lustful kisses. "Don't be immature," Mikoto chided in a soft voice that only the two of them could hear. "Respect the court."

"Sorry mother," Itachi mumbled, sitting up straight again. He didn't remove his arm from those shoulders though, keeping a gentle, yet possessive cling to him, but it was gone as soon as the judge called for a fifteen minute recess. Deidara had a cigarette out and ready to light the second the hammer fell, bolting out the door to seek the comfort of nicotine. Seeing his mother's curious expression, Itachi offered an explanation, "police and judges make him nervous."

"Oh, I see," she said with an understanding smile. "Are you going with him?"

"Maybe in a minute," he said, keeping his eyes from looking over at his father, despite the fact that he could feel their weight on him. "Are you alright."

"Of course," she told him.

"Mom," he said, softer this time. "Are you alright?"

Lifting her head up, she looked over his concerned face, her brown eyes meeting his red flecked darker ones. Of course she wasn't alright. Maybe she was fine with everything now, but she had a long time to learn how to be fine. He'd been worried about school and Deidara that he hadn't stopped to think about her. How selfish he had been... The whole time he'd kept it covered up from her, not letting his mother know what his father was doing, had been so that she could be happy. He wanted her to be happy, but this whole situation must have been so stressful for her. He was worried she was upset with him for forcing her world inside out, but there had been a long time for her to get use to the situation they were in now. But a smile was on her face as she reached her hand up to brush his lengthening bangs off his forehead and planted a tender kiss on the exposed skin.

"Yes, sweetheart," she said, more earnestly. "I love you very much. You don't have to worry about me. Go with Deidara ... Don't be late coming back."

Smiling back at her, he returned the kiss gently on her cheek and stood up, hurrying out of the room so none of his relatives could stop him. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around Deidara from behind when he exited the building. The wallet chain dangling on the thin waist jingled softly as Deidara leaned against him, welcoming his embrace. Itachi was happy that Deidara wasn't as thin as he had been when he first came to him to hide from his father. Thanks to his mother, Deidara had put on some weight and didn't feel like he'd break if he touched him - something he knew wouldn't happen, Deidara was much stronger then he appeared. The others around them were finishing up their cigarettes with the ten or so minutes they had left before the court gathered again. "Feel better?"

"Fuck yes," Deidara said before tilting his head back to blow trails of smoke into the air. "It's too damn stuffy in there."

"Yeah, but Uchiha's fucked," the man across from them said, clearly pleased as were the others nodding their agreements.

Itachi was silent as he took Deidara's wrist gently, lifting it up to take a drag from his cigarette. What was it about smoking that was so relaxing? It tasted terrible, but it always relaxed him to watch Deidara smoke. To hold a cigarette. To smoke one himself. He didn't know how he felt. Relief. Apprehension. His life had been flipped around. It had just been hard to notice away from home. His father was getting what he deserved. He didn't need to worry about Sasuke anymore. He didn't have to worry that his father would hurt Deidara anymore. Fugaku had been given a chance, but if he was convicted now it would be a long time before he had the chance to try again. Hopefully. Despite everything against him, something could always go wrong. His lessons in school taught him that. He could - No, he couldn't think about that. His hold on Deidara tightened. If his father walked, Deidara could be taken from him, injured or even killed. He almost lost him to his father once before. He couldn't-

"Itachi," Deidara's strained voice snapped him out of his thoughts, looking down in a panic. His arms were too tight around him, causing the tension in his voice, not pain as the Uchiha's mind led him to think.

"Sorry," Itachi said, hurriedly loosening his grip.

Deidara looked up at him with eyes that always startled Itachi. So young, so old, so immature, so knowledgeable. Deidara was the walking contradiction he always strove to be without trying. Those blue eyes were listening to what they saw, not judging, merely looking and reading him, better then hsi teachers could in his classes on profiling. "I'm alright, Itachi," Deidara finally said to him, a smile on his lips. "He wont hurt me again."

Damn. Way better then his teachers. Or maybe it was just that obvious on his face. "He could," Itachi whispered.

"I'll be ready next time," Deidara replied, such a sadistic grin on his face. Such confidence. It would be his down fall.

"Dei, you-" he was stopped by a finger to his lips.

"Let's go somewhere," Deidara suggested, taking Itachi's hands and giving him a tug. "Let's get away. We don't have to watch the end of the trial."

"No, I want to," Itachi told him firmly. "I'm sorry. I know you're uncomfortable, but I missed his trial last time. i want the assurance that he's going to jail. I can't hear it from someone I have to see it. It'll make me feel better."

With a sigh, Deidara ran his fingers through his hair to rough it up. "Alright, lets hurry so we wont be late, un."

"One account of attempted murder in the first degree."

"Guilty."

"One account of arson."

"Guilty."

"Six accounts of murder in the second degree."

"Guilty."

"One account of conspiracy to murder."

"Guilty."

"Maximum sentence..."

The voices of the court trailed off as Itachi sighed shakily under his breath. Everything would be fine now. His family was safe. His blood family and his street family. His boyfriend. His friends. His father was getting taken away when he looked up again, but the older Uchiha turned first, infuriated deadly eyes fixed on Itachi. Every hair on his body stood on end. Ever nerve revolting against his willpower, screaming danger, wailing to run. Itachi had destroyed their family. Fugaku Uchiha was the head of that family, it was wrong to go against him. Him. His own father. His own father. He should be punished, he should be, but he did the right thing. His father could hurt Sasuke. He could hurt his mother. He could-

His father's piercing eyes were blocked, the moment of fear lasting only seconds. Instead he was staring at someone's back, a well worn hoodie covering belted jeans just to the top of his back pockets, blond strands dusting the top of his vision. He followed the color up to stare at the back of Deidara's head as the younger man stared down death for him instead.

There were cops everywhere. The back his head throbbed from the bitter stairs from behind, but he didn't pleasure them with acknowledgement. Instead he eyed the testimonies, watched the jury's reactions. He had been absent for the man's first trial, but present when they let him out for good behavior. Daichi had wanted him there. To watch, to listen. A fly on the wall in the home of hungry frogs as the justice system betrayed them. Today the were gathered to slap the system in the face, but that didn't stop people from being angry at him. Many officers believed him to be the one who should pay. The one Fugaku hated most. The vandalizer, the drug addict and dealer, the whore. Since this new arrest, Deidara had been arrested twice for suspected drug possession, once for trespassing, twice for vandalizing - the only one of the accusations that were true, but none of the arrests had evidence and he was released. The one thing Deidara wasn't was afraid. Fear was a necessary feeling for survival, but so was reason. Deidara's methods of reasoning was what more abnormal then common. He wasn't afraid of anything but a cage. The cage it's self, not the people who built it, not the people who could put him in there. People made errors. They could be talked down to, buttered up. They were ruled by emotions and it made them make mistakes. Mistakes that Deidara watched for and took advantage of.

Still, he didn't want to be here, his last attempt to ditch getting turned down by Itachi. The fear Fugaku held over his son was something Itachi kept secret for a long time. Deidara had always assumed he enjoyed fucking with the Uchiha as much as he did, but it was only a face. He was terrified of his father, not for himself, but his family and friends. He had been so gentle to Deidara since they had come home, the sudden tightness of Itachi's arms in his silence alerted Deidara to the termoil the brunette was having. He tried to get them both away from this, but Itachi wanted to stay and hear the outcome. Itachi needed him, so Deidara stayed. Despite his discomfort.

The heat of anger shooting passed him like a pullet made him start. Itachi tensed next to him, showing that it wasn't just his imagination. Fugaku was glaring at Itachi with the intensity of a broken dam. Gripping the wood of the bench in front of him, Deidara pulled himself to his feet. The movement put himself between Itachi and Fugaku. His eyes were sharp and defiant, unafraid of Fugaku. The man had been chasing him for years, Daichi longer. He had won. Fugaku lost. He couldn't help but give the man one last smirk before turning his back to the Uchiha and facing the younger one. Itachi and the angry eyes that had been staring at him, but he only had eyes for Itachi. Onyx eyes flecked with red that stared up at him with a helplessness that was so off on Itachi's face. Giving him a smile, he reached his hands out for Itachi's, pulling him to his feet.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said, pulling himself out into the walkway. "Itachi's gonna sleep over my place, un," he added to Mikoto before bolting out the door.

The garage was empty when they arrived, everyone was still at the courthouse or out celebrating. There were many people around Deidara that hated Fugaku just as much as he did. Had this been any other time, Deidara would be out with them. Drinking, vandalizing and generally terrorizing the city in celebration at their victory against the police force that would hold them down. Itachi was silent the entire trip. Even as they left the main garage and entered the living area of the building. Deidara wasn't liking this side of Itachi at all. He preferred the confident, but kind Itachi. Reaching up, he gave Itachi's ponytail a little tug to get his attention.

"Everything's cool now," he said with a grin, guiding him into the shower room.

"I know," Itachi murmured, his eyes lifting to watch Deidara's shirt come off his body. "I just ... have to get- what are you doing?"

Deidara laughed as Itachi suddenly seemed to notice where they were and what was going on. The power of naked flesh. "Taking a shower," he stated obviously. "Join me?"

"Okay."

"Unbutton my pants," Deidara crooned as he returned from turning the water on in one of the showers. His arms slid around Itachi's neck, smirking at the brunette. Was he using low methods to distract him? Of course. Deidara loved dishing things out below the belt. Pun very much intended.

And it worked. Itachi slipped his belt free, dropping it carelessly on the floor with a loud clatter, moving to his pants button and zipper. Before he could push his pants down, Deidara gave him a light shove to break the connection between them, not get giving Itachi what he wanted. With a smirk, Deidara stepped under the shower stream, looking back at the Uchiha as his hair began matting with the water and his jeans darkened. He knew it made Itachi uneasy to think about how he had developed the skills to turn a person on with a glance, but that didn't mean he wouldn't use his powers. Itachi was undressed and under the stream with him before the top layer of his hair was fully damp.

"Hey," Deidara greeted, leaning back against the cold tile wall as Itachi tried to lean in to kiss him.

"You're such a damn tease," he muttered darkly to him, his hand finding Deidara's to hold onto him. "Stop running-HEY!" Deidara grinned as Itachi slammed his knee between his legs to stop him from sliding away from him onto the floor. It must have hurt, but Itachi didn't shift his expression except to glare at him. Instead of standing up again, Deidara began slowly grinding his hips up Itachi's leg, his jeans painfully tight over his body from the water.

Pleasuring himself wasn't something he did very often. On request. For all his eccentric actions, his selfishness, Diedara didn't like freeing himself to pleasure, giving himself up to it. He focused on his partner instead, their pleasure. Itachi noticed. He noticed everything, the bastard. Every little detail. Deidara prided himself on noticing things to manipulate people to his will, but Itachi knew how to notice things and make a person an individual. There wasn't much he did that Itachi missed. Itachi was sure to have noticed those attributes of himself during sex. He never brought it up though, respecting Deidara's discomfort, but probably feeling self conscious about it. Deidara inwardly sighed, and made a mental note to get over himself and let Itachi in more often.

"Take those off," Itachi ordered in a husk voice, interrupting his thoughts.

Lifting his chin up, Deidara smirked up at him, trailing his hands over Itachi's stomach. "Why don't you take them off?" he crooned back.

Grunting as he was slammed against the shower wall by despirate hands on his shoulders, Deidara looked up at Itachi in questioning startlement. "You do it," Itachi murmured between thick pants.

Smiling up at him, his dark hair clinging to his face by tiny rivers of water, Deidara complied. His fingers fought against the resistance of his jeans, working the fabric over his hips. Itachi was watching him with a delightfully hungry expression, lips parted to let out his soft pants. He was growing stiffer as well, his legs shaking slightly as he moved his knee so Deidara could push the denim off himself. "Better?" Deidara asked, kicking his pants and underwear away from them.

Itachi replied with a fierce kiss, groaning helplessly as he tried to fuse their bodies together against the wall. "Deidara," he groaned softly, breaking the kiss for breath. "Thank you."

"What for?" Deidara asked, fingers trailing up Itachi's sides, thumbs starting to rub over the nubs of his nipples, but Itachi stopped him. His fingers brushed away his wet hair from his face, cupping his cheek gently.

"Everything," he said quietly. "Saving my life, in more ways then one. Keeping me sane. Loving me. Being you. I love you very much, Deidara."

"I'm not doing much," Deidara said, laughing softly.

"Yes you are," Itachi whispered, wrapping his arms around him and pulled him close, the sexual touches replaced with caring ones.

Deidara sunk into his embrace in confusion. "...Are you dying?" he asked, after a few moments of silence.

"No," came the soft chuckle in his ear.

"Breaking up with me?"

"Of course not."

"What then?"

"Nothing... Everything's going to chance now, but you're here with me, so it's okay."

"It's not going to change that much, you know, un," Deidara told him. "It'll go back to how it was before he got out. Your mom'll probably get a shit ton of money though, I heard she's planning to drain him for everything and the judges are most likely siding with her because of Uchiha's shitheadness."

"..We'll see," Itachi murmured.

Tilting his head up, Deidara rest his chin against Itachi's shoulder and watched him gaze down at him. It was an expression Deidara wasn't use to being looked at with, definitely not in the bathroom shower. Itachi had more ways to make him uncomfortable then Daichi had piercings. Shifting a little, he slipped out of Itachi's arms and shut the water off. "So much for that shower," he said, unable to stop the ridiculous sounding chuckle that came out of his mouth.

"We'll do it later," Itachi said with a slight grin, Deidara could feel his eyes watching him, making his work with his towel clumsier then normal before he finally could dart off with it wrapped around his waist, though trying his best not to look like he was running away.

Itachi chuckled softly to himself as he watched Deidara leave. He'd embarrassed him, not in the teasing ego poking way, but truly embarrassed him with affection. He didn't think he'd ever seen the blond so flustered. Did he care? Of course not, he hadn't done anything wrong so he shouldn't feel bad. If anything he should take advantage of this, something he was planning to do. After drying himself off, he hung his and Deidara's towel and forgotten clothes up to dry and pulled on his own pants. Dignity wouldn't let him walk around in a shared building naked, though Deidara hadn't had a problem with it. There was still no one in the building with them as he stepped into the coolness of the sleeping area. Deidara's bunk was exceptionally high up, so they'd have to be careful. He smiled a little remembering one rather night that had almost sent both of them tumbling to their certain broken necks. But they rarely stayed the night here. Itachi preferred to keep their fits of passion behind a closed and locked door, though it was always rather interesting when Deidara had the sudden urge to start something in a near public place. This was different. This was Daichi's garage and other people slept in the bunks wouldn't even bother asking whether or not they were allowed to join in. They just would.

Hn. Not tonight. They weren't going to get interrupted.

With a devious smile more slight then Deidara's face splitting one, he climbed up the ladder to Deidara's bunk.


	12. Welcome Home

Chapter 12

* * *

Summer.

Such fond memories of the season. Funny how he never was excited about it until his senior year in high school. It meant he'd be staying at home more, didn't have an excuse to go to the library and hide from his father. Now... Now he had Deidara. A smile spread across his lips as he thought about the blond. He was probably working now. Itachi wasn't expected home for another few weeks, he wanted to surprise Deidara.

Pulling down a street he never would have dreamed of driving down a few years ago, he parked his car and climbed out. The summer heat hit him almost painfully as he left the air conditioned behind. Despite wanting to jump back inside, knowing the car garage would be equally hot, it was that knowledge that made him want to go in the garage.

Daichi's garage was easy to spot on the street. This area of the city was run down, buildings smashed in and ruined by vandalism, but no one in their right mind would touch Daichi's garage. It was old, just like the others, but the building was clean and wide open. He could smell the oil from across the street. It was had become a smell of home to him now. Itachi felt a little guilty, but he enjoyed being at the garage more then his mother's home. He always visited her when he was home from school, but Daichi's was where he stayed. The doors were open to allow some ventilation from the thick air. There were a few cars inside being worked on, one in particular had the cutest ass hanging out of it's engine. Best thing about summer was Deidara with his hair tied up and his shirt off. Deidara with his hair tied up and his shirt off while working on a car was just too much sometimes.

"That's a sight for sore eyes," he said, giving him a good spank causing the blond to jump and drop the tool he was using with a loud clatter. "A nice little welcome home."

"Itachi, you're not supposed to be back for another week," Deidara exclaimed, trying to turn around to face him, but Itachi had him pinned against the car. He missed this too. Deidara fit so perfectly against his body. All those nights spent in his dorm room with an empty bed made him appreciate this warm body so much more.

"I know," Itachi murmured, pressing his nose against the blond's shoulder, kissing the salty skin. "I couldn't wait. I missed you."

"I missed you too," Deidara said, wiggling his hips against him. "If only I could see you to say hi for real, un."

"Nah," Itachi said, pulling his hips closer against him, dirty thoughts flooding his mind. He wanted to take him right here on top of the open car engine, he was so happy mentally and physically to have him in his arms again. Itachi just finished his second to last year. After this summer, he had to go back one more time. Just one more, and then he'd be done with heavy school for a while. He could stay with him like he use to. Of course, he'd be working, but they'd be in the same city again. He could see him every day, not once a month. "I like you... right like this," he purred in his ear, grinding his hips against him as he pushed him closer to the car.

"Not on the car," came a voice behind them, spoiling the moment.

"Hey, Daichi," Itachi said, pulling Deidara off the car to face the pierced man. "Sorry, I just saw this ass hanging out of the car and couldn't resist."

"I was working," Deidara grumbled, pushing loose frays of hair off his face.

"That's something I'm not use to," Itachi joked, lifting the blond off the floor. "Hard working man needs a break, don't you think?"

"Sure," Daichi told them, smirking a bit. "Welcome back."

"Thanks," Itachi said, nodding and lifting Deidara up over his shoulder to carry him through the doors leading to the living area. Deidara was struggling to be put down, but Itachi held on tight, looking for an unused bunk. Deidara's was too high for him to climb up with the blond squirming over his shoulder. Tossing him onto an empty bunk, he crawled up over him and smothered his neck with kisses. "Mmm... I missed you so fucking much. I never hated school before I met you."

Deidara's throat vibrated with his chuckle. "At least let me shower first, I'm covered in sweat and engine grime," he said, showing him his hands.

"I know, I think it's sexy," Itachi told him, grinning deviously. "You know how much I love cars, and how much I love you. Putting the two together, I just completely loose it."

"Haha! I can tell!" Deidara laughed as Itachi burrowed his nose in his neck, nibbling at his tender spots. "Seriously! Itachi! What the hell!"

"Shhh," Itachi whispered, nosing his ear. "I've been waiting to see you for months. We haven't had any alone time in ages." Lifting his head, he smiled down at the blond, reaching up to push the loose strands of hair away from Deidara's face. Even with black smudges of dirt and engine grim, Deidara looked beautiful to him. He'd stared at Deidara for long hours when the blond was asleep, or moments like this when he got him to sit still long enough. Asleep was the best. He was already starting to squirm. "Sit still you," Itachi teased. "I want to stare at you."

"That's gross," Deidara said, pushing his hand against his face. "Get off me. I'll go shower then we'll go do something."

Sighing, the brunette finally rolled off the blond to let him get up. Propping his head up, he watched him go into the shower room. Oh yeah, like he was going to just let him shower. He waited a few minutes before jumping up and hurrying over to the door. Despite being the nosiest people in the world, the other people who lived in Daichi's garage learned to leave Itachi and Deidara alone. Itachi wasn't like them. He didn't like to share. Now there was a sign on the shower door that let people know that there were people in there who didn't want to be disturbed. Quietly closing that door, he stripped off his shirt and pants, leaving them with his shoes by the door and walked over to the shower stall with steam fogging up the air around it. Peering passed the stall's door, he grinned seeing Deidara lathered up and slipped in to grab him once again. "I should help you," he purred, hanging on tightly as Deidara struggled in his arms.

"Fuck! Itachi, why do you keep sneaking up on me?" Deidara snapped, twisting more easily in his arms since he was all soapy. "If you wanted to come you could've just said, un.."

"Sorry," Itachi said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm just.. I missed you a lot. I'm happy to see you." Taking the washcloth from him, he pushed the long blond strands off his back and began rubbing the soapy cloth over his skin. As Deidara grunted in mock irritation, he smiled and leaned down to kiss him gently, walking them under the stream of water.

"I missed you too, dumbass," Deidara said, sliding his arms up around his neck, rising on his toes to kiss him deeply. He still smelled just faintly of the garage, as he remembered. He wasn't so much of a stick anymore and his muscles were more refined from working in the garage instead of spending his time drinking and partying. He felt less delicate, more like a man in his arms now then a teenager. "Shall I give you a nice shampoo?"

"Nah," Itachi whispered, nuzzling his nose against Deidara's. "I'm going to make sure you get nice and clean... everywhere." he smirked, reaching around to grab a handful of ass. "Mmm... Working on cars have been good to you," he purred, massaging his handful as he pulled his hips against him.

Deidara laughed as he pushed his hips up against him, wiggling against him. "Are you saying I use to have a flabby ass?" he questioned, looking smug.

"Absolutely not," Itachi said, very seriously. "This ass has been perfect since the first day I met you. It's only gotten better." Lifting him up, he pressed him against the wall with a smirk. His fingers brushed over his skin, Itachi smiled down at him. "I love you, Dei."

"I love you too," Deidara said, wrapping his legs around Itachi's waist, smirking down at him. "But I'm not gonna let you just focus on me you know. That's just weird.."

"Hm?" Itachi asked, frowning a little.

"I mean... with the shampooing 'n' cleaning stuff," Deidara said, poking his nose. "It's weird. I'd rather do you, un."

Itachi smiled a little, mentally sighing. Same old. Itachi practically had to force Deidara down to let him do something that didn't involve both of them, or just Itachi. It use to bother him a lot. Didn't Deidara trust him? Trust him not to use it to his own advantage as leverage? Of course Deidara trusted him, but that didn't mean that he could instantly get over old habits and past experiences. One day he'd let him without hearing him whine and complain the whole time, but for now it was just 'weird'. "Alright, fine," he said, giving Deidara's ass a firm smack. "Ruin my fun. I just love seeing you squirm." Leaning up, he kissed him hard, groaning softly as he ground his hips against him.

"Hey! Some people want to shower too!" came an irritated voice near the door to the shower. "Unless you're going to invite us in there with you. I'd love to tap your ass Deidara."

Itachi growled as Deidara squirmed out of the pinned position against the shower wall to lean towards the door. He nearly dropped the blond from his wet, slippery skin, but held on tight as the blond threw open the shower door. "Fuck you," he snapped, smirking deviously. "You don't have a chance in hell, un."

"Dei, I'm going to drop you," Itachi warned, flexing his arms to hold them still, trying to hang onto the squirming blond.

Deidara swung back to him, planting a deep kiss on Itachi's startled lips and smirked. "You'd never drop me," he purred in his ear. Ah. Here was the Deidara he knew. He supposed he did catch him off guard with his arrival. He was about to start kissing him back when the blond pulled away and he had to struggle to hold him again. "Are you still there? Fuck off. This shower is occupied by an extremely sexy naked man and myself, un."

"Men," Itachi added, jerking Deidara into a better hold and sticking his head out too. "Extremely sexy naked _men_."

The man at the door was standing with his arms folded stubbornly. His head was shaven on the sides and his visible skin was extremely tattooed. "Either you finish up and clear out, or I'm coming in there," was the reply. It startled Itachi, but Deidara's the one who voiced it with a small 'eh?' squeak. He held in the small grin and the urge to pat his feisty boyfriend on the head. Usually people backed down with Deidara's demands, except Daichi. Maybe Deidara was loosing his crazy edge since he's cleaned up his act.

Before the blond could come up with a snarky comeback, Itachi pulled Deidara back into the shower and barred his way. "We'll be done in a minute," Itachi said. "Please give us a moment of privacy."

"Hey," Deidara snapped, turning his irritation on Itachi now. "He can't tell us what to do, we were here first, un! I'll fuckin-"

"Shh..." Itachi pushed a finger to his lips. "It's fine, Deidara." he leaned down to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "We will continue this later... when we can't be interrupted... for hours."

So easy to satisfy. The ear to ear grin returned and the blond let him pushed him under the steady stream of the shower, rinsing off the remaining soap suds off his body. "Fine," he said, pushing his wet hair off his face. "Let's go have some fun, un."

Shutting the water off, he grabbed his towel and stepped out of the shower. "Hey, fuck off, this ain't a free show," Deidara said to the man still standing there. He dried himself off, then tossed the towel to Itachi. The brunette looked a little startled to see him standing there in his naked glory with a stranger ogling at him. Deidara just smirked and walked passed them to climb up the ladder to his bunk. His duffle-bag was nearly empty of clean clothes, he'd have to borrow the Uchiha's laundry room soon. Jeans and a t shirt came on, hair tugged back in a pony tail under a bandanna to keep his hair off his neck and he was jumping down to meet Itachi who had redressed himself and was looking at him with a look of dismay.

"You are a jean killer, Deidara," the brunette said, eying his pants. "Aren't those the jeans you got over spring break?"

Itachi's eye for detail was frightening some times. Deidara wasn't exactly sure when he bought these jeans, but they were definitely the lesser torn up then the others so it was highly possible they were the ones Itachi spoke of. "Probably," he said with a shrug after looking down at the pants covered in tears from catching on metal or worn thin from overuse, covered in sharpee'd reminders from when he didn't have paper handy. Did it really matter? Clothes were meant to be worn.

"Where are we going, un?" Deidara asked as the two of them walked out of the garage with a wave at Daichi. Spotting Itachi's car, he didn't wait for the brunette to answer him before running over to throw himself against it. Oh, how he adored this car! This beautiful sleek Mazda with all it's modification and sexy leather interior. "I missed you too," he murmured fondly before he was peeled off.

"Hey," Itachi muttered, arm wrapped securly around his waist. "What are you doing? You're not driving."

"I know," Deidara replied, squirming. "I was just telling it it was missed, un. And one day," he said, giving his arm a little pinch to make Itachi release him. "One day I will get to drive!"

"Not gonna happen," Itachi gave him a little shove to make sure he didn't try to sneak into the driver seat. Turning his nose up, Deidara ran around the other side of the room and let himself in. "So where are we going?" he asked again, leaning over the stick to nuzzle Itachi's neck.

"Where ever you want," Itachi told him, shifting gears then rest his hand against Deidara's thigh. "Ah... first though, I should say 'hi' to my mom..." he could see Deidara's expression out of the corner of his eye and snorted. "Yes, I came to see you first. You're _that_ special." The blond cackled quietly to himself then slipped into talking about how he hadn't known he was coming and would have planned something for him if he had known. Itachi let himself get lost in Deidara's voice, happy to listen to it again without the separation of the phone. When they pulled up to the house Mikoto and Sasuke still lived in, Deidara threw his seat belted off and jumped out of the car. He always liked visiting the Uchiha's, even though the thrill of skirting around Fugaku was gone. Mikoto always made sure he was well fed and usually sent him home with even more food.

Itachi came up behind him and slid his fingers down his back pocket, rubbing his ass through the fabric. "We're getting you new jeans," Itachi whispered in his ear. "One day I'll make them last longer then two months. What did you do? Get stuck on a fence?"

"I think it was the junkyard, un... I was looking for parts," Deidara said, glancing down at himself. How should he know? He was an extremely active person. It wasn't his fault they hadn't made Deidara-proof jeans yet. He glanced at Itachi who looked like he just walked off a mannequin stand and grinned a little. He use to think that people who had nice clothes were the most boring people in the world because they never did anything. Itachi didn't do much, but that didn't mean he couldn't do much, and Deidara found him to be quite interesting. "Are we gonna just stand here, or are we going in?" he asked, when he realized they weren't moving.

The sigh that came from the brunette was long and strained. "I feel terrible," he mumbled quietly. "I don't... really want to go in."

"Eh? Why?" Deidara asked, tilting his head to peer up at Itachi, who looked at him for a moment and smiled at something Deidara couldn't see.

"It feels weird going in," he told him. "Since the trial. I don't feel very welcome... besides I want to spend time with you."

Throwing his head back, Deidara's laugh startled Itachi, but the blond didn't care. "This isn't a horror movie, Itachi. The house isn't going to kill you because Uchiha's gone, un. Your mom isn't upset about it."

"I know."

"And your mom will feed us," Deidara reminded him.

"I'd feed you," Itachi said with a frown.

"Your mom is a good cook, un."

"Have you been exploiting my mother for free food?"

"Maybe," Deidara grinned, then started towards the door. "I don't like to share you either, but your mom is an exception, un. She'd be happy to see you too."

Itachi smiled at him and squeezed the hand in his pocket. "Listen to you all kind and thoughtful. Who are you?" he laughed, reaching up to knock.

Deidara stopped him before his knuckles could land on the door. Who knocked on the door to their own home? Swinging open the door, Deidara stuck his head in and called out. "Ms. Mikoto~ I brought you a present, un!"

"Hello, Deidara!" came Mikoto's voice from somewhere in the lovely air conditioned house. "Come on it, I'll be down in a minute."

Smiling softly, Itachi followed Deidara in, kicking both their shoes off before entering the living room. Deidara was bouncing on his heels, fidgeting with anything he could get his hands on. No wonder his jeans were getting holes, his fidgeting had him tearing them up. He wondered if Deidara had ever gone to the doctor before. A non-Sasori doctor. He could use medicine to calm himself down, but then again, Deidara had worked hard to stay clean of drugs and he didn't want to put that in jeopardy. Deidara's excitement to show him off to his own mother made him smile. Even if it would be healthy for him, Itachi did love his eccentric nature.

"Sorry, I was-oh! Itachi!" his mother's excited gasp stopped his thoughts briefly before familiar arms and nostalgic smell enveloped him. His mother wasn't much taller then Deidara, so he had to bend down a little to get the full embrace as she pulled his head down onto her shoulder and squeezed him tightly. "I wasn't expecting you home for another week! What a great surprise!"

"I told him he should come, un," Deidara said, with a smug expression.

"No, he didn't," Itachi said, returning his mother's hug. "He's just pleased I saw him first... sorry, mom.."

"Oh, I understand, dear," Mikoto said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I know how much you've missed each other. Deidara has been a whiny baby since he last saw you."

"I have not," Deidara insisted.

His mother gave him a sideways smile, the same smile she'd give to Sasuke when his brother insisted that he didn't want his mother to pack his school lunch. He knew the blond missed him, but it was cute to hear about him going to pieces in his absence. "Of course not," she said, tapping his chin affectionately. "I'm glad you're here though, I have a surprise for the both of you."

"A surprise?" they asked together.

"Yes," she said, her smile widening. "It's not quite finished yet, but I think you'll still enjoy it. Plus, I'm sure you can use it for the rest of the summer."

Her subtle hints made the two men exchange a glance, wondering if either knew what she was talking about. Deidara gave an exaggerated shrug then started wandering towards the kitchen. "What is it?" Itachi asked, turning to his mother.

"A present for you," she told him, brushing his bangs off his face. "A graduation present."

"I haven't graduated yet," he reminded her with a slight frown. This sounded a little dangerous.

"You will," she said, pride in her voice very audible. "You're turning into the successful, strong willed, handsome man I always knew you would. And I'm happy that you have someone special with you."

Itachi's cheeks darkened slightly and he averted his gaze to look over at the kitchen where he could see Deidara trying to stuff as many marshmallows as possible in his mouth at once. He snorted quietly, "yeah... 'special'."

Mikoto turned to see what he was looking at and chuckled. "Careful, Deidara! You'll choke," she laughed as he waved her off. "Come on, you two. Now that you're here, I want to show you your surprise right away. We'll take your car Itachi."

"I brought my Mazda home," Itachi told her, glancing outside as she headed for the door.

"I can sit on Deidara's lap," she assured him.

Deidara joined them at the door, sliding his shoes back on with a sandwich in his hand. "Yeah, Itachi. You're mom's no stiff, un," he told him, smirking as he walked passed him to the car.

Itachi had never driven his car with two people sitting in the passenger seat, let alone his mother perched daintily on his boyfriend's lap with said boyfriend munching on a sandwich stolen from his mother's house. He wasn't sure where they were going, but Mikoto gave him directions when necessary. While they drove, Mikoto asked him questions on his last few days at school and why he was home early. Itachi explained that the things he had to do were just a few simple things that he could do online or were not necessary, like taking out the trash and signing up for next years sports. He gave a side ways smile at Deidara who was grinning from behind Mikoto's shoulder. That adorable grin was exactly why he came home. All his classes were finished, all his work turned in, finals finished. Everything else were just things that were limiting his time with Deidara. The fact that he had surprised the blond made it even better. He hadn't told Deidara when his classes ended, just when he was coming back. He knew the blond would plague him to come earlier if he had. This way he had given him a bit of a present.

"So where are we going?" Deidara asked after Itachi gave his fingers a little flick as they reached subtly to his leg.

"You'll see," Mikoto said sneakily. "It is a late birthday present and early graduation present, sweety. For the both of you."

"I like presents, un! Especially when it's not my birthday," Deidara said cheerfully, but Itachi wasn't as excited.

"Mom, you didn't have to get me anything," he said quietly, turning as she pointed.

Mikoto laugh quietly and shook her head. "I know that, and you know your dislike of presents has never stopped me from giving them to you." When Deidara piped up again that _he_ liked presents, she reached back and patted his head, brushing his bangs out of his face. "I know you do. Up this road, Itachi... And right here, park over there."

As he turned off his car, Itachi got out and looked around as he waited for Deidara and his mother to untangle themselves so he could lock his car. They were on a street with overhanging trees. They had passed a few houses, but none of them were very close together. He followed his mother who had her arm around Deidara's across the street to the beginnings of a driveway in front of the only house now visible. They stood in front of it for a minute before Deidara began to fidget. His cobalt eyes glanced over at Itachi, who gave him an equally confused look.

"Is it inside the house?" Deidara asked, shifting like they should start walking towards the house.

"No, sweetie, it is the house," Mikoto said with a wide smile.

Itachi's stomach felt like it just dropped to his feet as did any words he could possibly come up with. In fact, his feet were sinking into the ground too, until Deidara's voice snapped him out of the blankness of his mind. "What do you mean, 'the house'?" the blond said, his voice laced in confusion. "I don't understand. How do you give someone a house, un?"

"Mom, you bought a house?" Itachi gasped quietly. "You bought.. a house for us?" Deidara repeated his words, much louder then Itachi did now that the information seemed to click.

"No," she said giving him a small smile. "I know you wouldn't let me do that, and I don't have the means of doing that anymore. All I've done is put the down payment in and laid out the payments for the next two years. Once you've finished your school year and get yourself firmly on your feet with a job, you'll be doing the payments yourself." She beamed at him and took his hand to lead him up the driveway. "I picked this one because I know it's near the mountain roads you like to drive, and close enough to the city so you're not so secluded."

As they reached the door, Mikoto handed him a key. Hand shaking slightly, he inserted the key and turned the lock. Inside the house was as open and airy as his parents home, though lacking in furniture and homely touches. The floors were all marble tiled, the doors and frames thick, dark stained wood. He wandered in slowly, taking in the foyer, what he could see of the living room, and the large open hallway towards the back of the house, and the wide spiral stair case going up to the second floor. "Mom... I..." he stammered, looking at her. She was obviously pleased with herself. "I don't know what to say..."

"I know, but I know you like to be independent and I understand how uncomfortable it is at the house for you," she reached up to brush his bangs out of his face and patted his cheek. "You're my baby, Itachi. I'm going to spoil you till I die."

"Thanks mom... I'll do my best to be able to live up to your expectations," he said, leaning forward to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"I know you will, sweetheart. Oh," she turned and looked around. "Where's Deidara?"

Startled, Itachi went to the door and looked out, seeing the blond still standing at the end of the driveway where they left him. As he approached him, he saw the blond had a strange expression on his face. "Dei, what's wrong?" he asked in concern.

Looking up at him, the blond's wide eyes stared before he stammered out. "Your mom got you a house... That's ... insane," his voice was quiet, a similar tone to when Sasori had brought Deidara's sister to his hospital room.

"Yeah," Itachi said, staring at his feet. Deidara had once mocked him relentlessly out of spite for how much his parents gave him, how easy his life was. Even though his father was gone and his mother was working on her own salary now, she made sure that he was provided for. "Dei, she bought it for you too," he reminded him. "I mean, it's not really bought, when I get out of school I still have to pay and all... but it's for you too. You don't have to stay in Daichi's garage, or couch surf when you're feeling uncomfortable there... Don't you want to live with me?"

"...Yes," Deidara said, still looking a little dazed and confused.

Placing a hand at Deidara's back, he gave the blond a little shove and led him up into the house. The blond looked like he felt completely out of place in his old boots and torn jeans standing in a very clean house with two decently dressed people. Itachi loved him for that. "I'm going to call a cab and leave you two alone," Mikoto told them, perking up on her toes a little as she beamed at them. His mother was extremely pleased with herself. "I don't want to spoil your first day back."

And she was gone. The two of them stood stunned in the foyer after she shut the door behind herself. Itachi didn't even think to stop her and tell her to wait in the house for the cab, or that he'd take her home. The whole thing was surreal. How long had she had this for him that he could just show up from school - early, and she'd be ready to drop what she was doing to do this. What had his mother been up to? A knife of guilt twisted in his stomach when he thought about it. He didn't know anything that his mother had been doing in years. He was very selfish. Chewing on his lip, he distracted himself by looking at the blond who was frozen in pace with wide eyes. "Dei, you okay?" he asked.

"Are we really allowed to be in here, un?" Deidara asked quietly.

"Seems like it," Itachi said with a smile, holding up the key in his hand. "Hope you don't change your mind and want to keep living at Daichi's... It's kinda big for one person."

Deidara turned and stared at him, partially terrified, partially suspicious. "I... can live here?" he asked.

"Of course Dei, mom gave it to me for both of us," he said again, tilting his head to look at him closely.

Deidara seemed to forcibly compose himself as he slipped away from Itachi to run up the stairs. "Cool," was the last thing he said before he turned a corner.

Smirking, Itachi followed after him to watch the blond be excited enough for the both of them. He yelled like a child over the huge rooms on the second floor and the bathrooms as big as the entire shower room in Daichi's garage. There were four large bed rooms, including the master bedroom. A smaller room that could be used as an office with the door and stairs to the attic. There was one main bathroom on the second floor with a shower and a very large onsen. The master bedroom had two double wooden doors that opened into a large space that would fit a small living room and a bedroom. Deidara cursed colorfully and spun in a circle to look at it in.

"This is the biggest fucking bedroom I've ever seen, un!" he cried. "How the hell can someone live in a house like this?"

"Comfortably with a loud blond man living here too," Itachi said, stopping the blond's spinning by wrapping his arms around him. "It'll look more inviting with a bed."

"A huge bed! I wont have to sleep on top of you anymore, un," Deidara whined.

Itachi smiled and bumped his knees from behind to force him down on the floor. "You'll still be sleeping on top of me," he assured him, nuzzling his nose against Deidara's ear. "I think a small bed would look strange in this room. I'll find you something you can be comfortable in." Deidara's hips were pressed back against his own as he had him squished to his knees under his own weight, but Deidara didn't fight him. His fingers slid up Deidara's back, gently forcing his shirt up. The air conditioning wasn't on in the house, so the room was very warm. Deidara's skin was hot and and moist with a slight sheen of sweat.

As the shirt slid over his head, it pushed his hair off the back of his neck allowing Itachi to kiss him gently. Deidara probably let him pin him down like this cause he felt comfortable with him, but Itachi's mind wasn't on cuddles. Far from it. Soon Deidara's was off of cuddles as well, apparent as he wiggled his butt against Itachi. Chuckling quietly, Itachi placed a hand on the blond's hips and urged him over onto his back on the floor. Crawling up over top of him, he crushed his body against the floor and kissed him deeply. Hands trailing down his skin, remembering everything about his body. His scars were faint, but still there, especially the one on his back from the bullet his own cousin had shot. Breaking the kiss, he shifted down and kissed his chest, smiling softly as he rubbed his nose against him. His torso was more filled in then he remembered, yet the blond was still slight and scrawny. Working like a normal person was good on Deidara's body.

Lifting his head up, Itachi smirked up at him and slid down his body, leaving kisses behind. He heard Deidara's soft moans of approval and smirked as he waited for the blond to realize what he was doing. All it took was a touch at his pants for the blond to pushed himself up to grab at Itachi's shoulder. Before he could get a word out, Itachi pushed him back down, hand on his chest to keep him from sitting up again. A slow smirk spread over Itachi's face as Deidara protested, but the brunette ignored him as he worked the fastens of his jeans apart and tugged them off his hips. Deidara may not like sexual attention focused just on him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get and enjoy it. His fingers gripped him tight allowing him to relish in the deep moan the blond gave despite how he was fighting weakly against Itachi's hand.

"You too, Itachi," Deidara whimpered quietly, gasping as his hand stroked him. Itachi just smirked and waited for Deidara to get some blood to his brain. "Damn it, Itachi! Fuck!"

Chuckling, the brunette leaned down and ran his tongue down his length, the guttural groans music to his ears. The blond's hips raised off the floor, trying to push himself closer to Itachi, hating what he was doing, but unable to resist the pleasure. Itachi looked up as Deidara lift his head to watch him, uncomfortable since Itachi's hand was still preventing his torso to bend. His free hand and mouth explored his groin with torturous patience. It was for Deidara, and honestly it was for himself as well. Truly, he wanted nothing more then to tear his own clothes off and have skin on skin contact inside, on top of and under him. He resisted, letting his pants grown more and more uncomfortable as Deidara voiced his reactions of his movements. He finally let the blond sit up when he was sure Deidara wasn't going to beat him bloody. Instead, his fingers went tight in his hair to try and control those movements on his dick.

Just as his breath escaladed into pleasure, Itachi pulled away, leaving a job unfinished and the once protesting blond growling in angry frustration. He fought the hand trying to push him back down and crushed his lips against Deidara's parted ones, kissing him heatedly. Hot and sweaty, Deidara was clawing at Itachi's clothes, tired of foreplay and wanting what Itachi had been denying the both of them. Breaking away from him, Itachi pulled off his shirt and pushed his pants off his hips, crawling out of them and onto Deidara, stretching his neck so the blond could get the closeness he wanted before Itachi fell of top of him.

Deidara was right, foreplay was done.

Gripping Deidara's legs, he push them up around his waist as Deidara's fingers dragged down his back, a familiar gesture of pleasure and pain. God he missed him so badly, every time he left he felt the same painful loss. Every time he came back he ran back into his arms again. He never got tired of the feeling of the smaller man in his arms, the warmth of his skin against his own. It wasn't just amazing sex, it wasn't the blond's remarkable relationship skills (he had none), it was the personal things they had shared. Deidara saved him from his life, and something about himself made Deidara change too. He didn't know what happened. Or what clicked in his brain, but something about himself had made Deidara change too. The way Deidara's face brightened when he saw him told Itachi the blond was just as happy to be around him as well. His heated kisses and nips, the nails against his shoulders and back told Itachi he was equally despirate for his touch as well.

Slowly thrusting inside him, Itachi let his head fall back in a deep moan digging his own fingers into Deidara's hips. Deidara's fingers tangled in his hair to pull him down into a kiss, sliding his tongue passed his lips. Sucking on his tongue, he began to steadily thrust into him, holding Deidara's head in place as he twisted in painful pleasure underneath him. Lifting him up, he slammed him down against the floor, thrusting harder and heavier as Deidara's tight entrance stretched and loosened around his cock. Taking Deidara's hand from his shoulders, he urged it down to rub against Deidara's still hard cock. The blond got the message and began stroking himself in time with Itachi's thrusts. Lifting himself off Deidara's chest, Itachi watched him with a deep groan. It was rare for him to do this, but Itachi thought it was extremely hot to watch and had never gotten tired of video chatting with headphones plugged into his phone so anyone walking by or in his room couldn't hear the conversation. Seeing him do it in person just made him want to pound into him harder. Deidara gasped and cried out as he came between them, tightening around him again as his body tightened.

Lifting Deidara off the grown, Itachi pushed him against the closest wall and sat up. Moaning as Deidara moved his hips against his own, the brunette kissed into his collar bone, digging his teeth against his skin. Cumming hard into him, Itachi slumped against him and the wall, groaning heavily as pleasure rolled over him, the pleasure of sex and the pleasure of his body. Sliding down the wall, he laid down with the blond on top of him, panting softly against his neck.

"I missed you," Itachi whispered, sliding his fingers up Deidara's back.

"I missed this, un."

"Heh.. more then me?"

"Not what I meant."

Itachi smiled, and gave the top of the blond's head a soft kiss. He understood. Sliding out from under him, he reached for his pants and leaned back against the wall, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Deidara joined him, shoulders brushing his own. He could see him looking around the room, now that the distraction was gone, the realization of where they were and what was going on was coming back. He reached for his pants as well, pulling out a rag to wipe himself down - though it didn't appear to be thoroughly cleaned of engine grime, or maybe that was just stains. Itachi didn't bother mentioning it.

"Can I stay here while you're at school?" Deidara asked, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Of course," Itachi replied, lighting a cigarette. They had no ash tray so they made due by eating the last of Deidara's mints so they could use the tin container. "It's your house too."

"Doesn't feel like it, un," the blond mumbled quietly.

"It is," Itachi assured him, offering him the stick. Deidara accepted it with an unconvinced grunt.

"I'll pay bills and shit while you're in school," Deidara said.

"You don't have to," Itachi told him, realizing too late that was the wrong thing to say. Deidara glared darkly at him, thrusting the cigarette back in his hand to reach for his own pack left in his pants. "It'd be really expensive, I don't want you to use all your money like that," he rushed, trying to explain. "Half," he said when Deidara continued to glare.

"All," Deidara insisted. "You wont be here for a whole year, un."

"_Half_," Itachi repeated stubbornly.

"No," Deidara snapped, his voice getting angry. "I'm not your property, Itachi. I can take care of myself, un."

Reaching out, Itachi grabbed Deidara's write to keep him from throwing his cigarette, or leave, or whatever he'd been about to do. "I do, though," Itachi said in a firm voice. "You're _my_ boyfriend, Deidara. I know you like being independent, but I like taking care of you."

"I don't care," Deidara said, bluntly. Itachi had to smile. Deidara was such a selfish asshole sometimes. Actually, most of the time really. His smile seemed to aggravate the blond more and he had to yank him over his lap to keep him from fighting the grip on his wrist. Careful not to burn him with his cigarette, he wrapped his arms around him and squeezed until all the breath - and fight - seemed to leave the blond.

"How about this: you pay half, I pay - ah! Listen," Itachi cut him off, "but you buy half the furniture too. We'll need a lot for this size house, and I don't thin we'll be filling it quickly. I don't want to depend on you when I come to visit on my breaks. I'll let you pick the bedroom furniture... and you could use one of the spare rooms for Milkshake."

Deidara continued to glare at him, trying to mentally force him into submission, but Itachi wouldn't budge. He understood how badly the blond hated depending on anyone for anything. Understood that to him, the situation sounded like one of his clients. Deidara didn't like associating them with Itachi, but also hated middle grounds. He didn't like sharing, and liked taking care of things himself. This was something he'd have to get over though, because it was only fair to split it and Itachi liked the spoil the blond whether he liked it or not. Finally, Deidara scoffed and pulled away to slump against the wall again, signalling Itachi's victory.

"You may need to learn how to cook while I'm gone," Itachi said. "Otherwise, I'll hve to hire a personal housekeeper and that never goes well when there's a successful lawyer in the house..."

The blond scoffed again, but playfully this time. "You have a thing for housekeepers, un? I can cook," he added, insistingly.

"Can you?"

"...It can't be that hard," Deidara replied.

"...Shit," Itachi said, feigning horror, but laughed as Deidara punched his shoulder.

"I don't want anyone coming over," Deidara said, breaking the silence that followed. "I mean-... Daichi and Rin can... And your mom and Sasuke... and Sasori would probably want to know, but he'll never come over, un..."

"That's fine," Itachi said, reaching over to flick ashes into the tray. "Just us. Our house." He watched Deidara look around the room, then out the window, fidgeting slightly. Reaching out, he gave Deidara's hair a gentle tug. Deidara smiled a little and slumped against him, running his fingers against Itachi's leg. The brunette responded by gently rubbing his shoulder. Deidara was scared, but there was no way Itachi would address that until Deidara brought it up. This was a rather big step for the blond.

"So you've been working with Daichi? How do you keep your money safe from your crazy roommates?" Itachi asked, tickling Deidara's ear.

His hand was knocked away and the blond turned to face him. "Your mom," Deidara told him with a sheepish grin. "She's been letting me keep my money in her house, un. I trust her."

"She's pretty trustworthy," he agreed, smiling down at him. "You could get a bank account, you know." He gave the blond's cheek a little pinch. "I'm glad you're working hard and stuff. I'm so proud of you."

"Ew, don't say gross things like that."

"You're getting to be such a big boy now."

"Stooop!"

"You're becoming a man."

"Oh, my god, Itachi," Deidara cried bursting out with laughter. "You're so retarded! So I was a boy before?" he smirked and slid up to straddle his lap. "Is that what turned you on, hmmm~? Am I not so attractive now that I'm old?"

Itachi smirked and gripped on Deidara's hips. "I've always been turned on by you, you slippery bastard," he said, drawing his knees up so Deidara slid down into a very special place in his lap, their naked bodies pressed close together. "You're the one that always played hard to get. Remember?"

"Hmm," Deidara crooned, glancing away innocently. "I don't remember that."

"Liar," Itachi accused, pinching his ass. "You were such a dick, and I was nice to you." He smiled at him though and cupped his cheek and neck. "I assure you, you are worth every damn frustration though."

"That's cheesy," Deidara told him, with a roll of his eyes.

"I love you," Itachi told him, pinching his cheeks.

"Stop that! God!"

Smirking, Itachi released his cheeks and began tickling Deidara's sides mercilessly as the blond shrieked and struggled in his arms. They rolled around of the floor, Deidara trying to run away, Itachi just dragging him back by his ankles, tickling places that weren't ticklish, but enjoying Deidara's reactions just the same. As he ground his hips against Deidara's naked ass, he smirked and nudged his face to look back at him. "The things I'm going to do to you now that no one can interrupt us," he whispered huskily in his ear. "Our bed's gotta have really tough posters... and strong headboards. Hope you like being tied up." He groaned softly as he nibbled on his ear.

Deidara smirked and arched his hips up against him, knocking Itachi off of him and crawled up to sit on his chest. "Who says I'm the one that's going to be tied up?" he asked with a smirk, tapping his finger against his chest.

Itachi stared at him with stoic blankness that conveyed he would definitely not be the one tied up. He'd been tied up by the blond before and he did not like not being able to defend himself. When the blond kept grinning, he gave a short shake of his head and pushed him off onto the floor so he could sit up. "Not a chance," he said, rubbing the top of his head to mess up his hair.

Smirking deviously, Deidara nipped at his fingers and pushed himself back up to sit. "Let's go get a bed," he grinned.

"I don't know if we can sleep here tonight," Itachi admitted. "A nice bed will have to be ordered for delivery, and we'd need to get other things, and I don't know if the water and electricity is turned on. But we can do all that stuff today if you want to..."

"Tomorrow we'll do that," Deidara said, leaning his head down on Itachi's lap. "Let's just be lazy today, un."

"That's fine with me," Itachi told him. "Would you rather go back to my mom's house? Where it's air conditioned and there's a chance we'll have food?" Deidara nodded, fanning himself dramatically then rolled over to find his clothes, Itachi following close by.

The rest of the afternoon was spent as one of the laziest days in the passed few months for Itachi. The two of them drifted in and out of sleep for the entire day and through the night. Mikoto had breakfast waiting for them when they stumbled bleary eyed to the kitchen half passed noon. She was reading the Sunday paper and watching a news feed on the TV. Deidara could barely get his toast into his mouth as Itachi told his mother about their plans to get certain furniture and was talking about something along the lines of cold air and water. They had talked about going out early to pick furniture out, but clearly that early thing wasn't going to happen.

Deidara had spent the better part of the last fifteen hours in a state of mental confusion, allowing himself to be physically consumed in Itachi's presence. This was a very large step in his life and it terrified him. Horrified him and went against his very existence. He'd moved many times, sleeping mostly on couches, or even on a bus bench if it was late enough. Having his own home wasn't something he'd ever thought of for himself. Nor would he ever expect to be sharing such a thing with someone. Deidara didn't think ahead. He lived in the moment. Having a house meant long term. Some how he'd gone from two day relationships and couch surfing at the cost of a few shoots of drugs or a quick fuck to patiently waiting for the end of semesters and contently slept in the bunks in Daichi's garage until the no longer appealing lives of the other members of the garage began harassing him too much. He still went out to clubs, still danced at night and spent too much on alcohol and a good time, but when the company's touches became less playful, he would leave. They put up with that as long as they could, but he'd woken up a number of times to shove someone out of his bunk that wanted more. Then Mikoto would find him sleeping in Itachi's bed, having climbed into the window from the tree outside, despite the fact that Mikoto had given him a key to the house.

What happened?

He tilted his head, resting sleepily on his elbow, to look at Itachi, who was much more awake and drinking coffee. How did this happen to him? Every part of his personality wanted to tell Itachi he didn't want to do this. He'd debated it for hours when Itachi was sleeping, arms wrapped affectionately around his waist. It was tearing at his mind, terrifying him. His mind didn't want to think of the house as something for the both of them. Perhaps it was just temporary, like what the apartment had been before it had burned down. It wasn't HIS house... it was Itachi's. He'd leave anytime, or Itachi would make him leave. Everything was temporary. Everything in life was temporary. You never knew what was going to happened tomorrow. What made it worse was that he suspected Itachi knew exactly what was going on in his head, what was worrying him. Bastard...

"I want a mattress like yours," he said quietly. "It's the best bed I've ever slept in, un."

Itachi grinned, nudging the coffee closer to him. He took it and sipped as Mikoto began writing something down on a slip of paper. Apparently she'd been making a list since he was day dreaming and nibbling on toast with jam, it looked like a list of stores. "Sleepy head," Itachi said affectionately, poking his knee under the counter. "You want to do this today, or save it for another day?"

"We can do it today, un," Deidara said, biting at the edge of the mug.

"If you boys want to stay there as soon as you get your bed," Mikoto said with a secret smile, "I'll make a list of things you'll need at the store... Necessary things that you might not think of."

"What's wrong with the house how it is?" Deidara asked with a frown.

"It has no toilet paper to start out with," Mikoto said, laughing at the startled look on the blonds face. Well how was he supposed to think of that? "Just a few other things..."

Rin had a few other ideas for them and voiced them while they sat on an old sofa, her holding her daughter who was driving a remote control Barbie car, and Itachi tickling Milkshakes tiny soft belly. Deidara stayed quiet as he listened, new to this situation and still rather apprehensive about the whole thing. He didn't voice his concerns to Itachi, but settled against him, knowing the brunette still understood. If he said something, it would come out wrong and he would get frustrated with himself. Itachi was so much better at talking then he was. He sighed softly, and got Itachi's arm wrapped loosely around his shoulder. Damn him and his over perceptive nature.

The first week of Itachi's return had them running all over the place looking at furniture and pooling their money, Deidara proudly sharing his savings with Itachi, ego boosting at the brunette's surprise at the amount. At night they joined the others at the races, Deidara betting on cars while Itachi stayed under the hoods of new models discussing engines and parts. They raced once or twice each, but only for small races; Itachi was out of practice and Deidara only felt like showing off once in a while and wanted to spend more time with Itachi. The Uchiha joined Deidara during the day when he worked, happily helping out. Itachi refused money from Daichi, saying he just wanted to learn. When the few pieces they bought were ordered, they took off work for the day to set it up. It was a very long and frustrating task of putting it all together, changing their minds about where the pieces would go in the room and realizing they were too heavy to move. They'd stormed out a number of times to chain smoke cigarettes on opposite sides of the house. When they finally had it set up in a way they could both agree on, they were too tired to put any special details in such as making their bed with the sheets and blankets they bought and just collapsed on the bare mattress together.

Spread out on the mattress, Deidara stared at the ceiling with a cigarette dangling loosely in his fingers. He could leave if he wanted to. He doubted Itachi could stop him if he truly decided to leave. He swallowed hard, glancing over at Itachi, eyes closed, lips parted slightly as he breathed evenly in sleep. No... He couldn't leave. It'd be like tearing a piece of him away, he'd break Itachi's heart. He couldn't do that. Doing this wouldn't destroy himself. He'd slipped into this lifestyle, Itachi wasn't trying to change him. He could still do all the things he wanted. Daichi's garage had been steadily becoming less and less of a home for him as he got older. Deidara's eyes passed over the room, growing dark as the sun set. Milkshake was perched in the open window, staring outside at something he couldn't see. There'd been an empty hole in him for a long time, never having the right thing to fill it with. He tried with drugs, with alcohol, self destruction and the selling of his body. Nothing worked, just left him empty. Without even noticing, that bloody torn hole his mother's rejection had left in his heart was getting stitched back together. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, a small smile crossing his lips. Itachi rolled over and slid his arm around the blond's waist.

"Deidara?"

"Hm?"

"Welcome home," Itachi whispered, kissing the base of his neck gently.

｡,:･ﾟ ﾟ･:The End:･ﾟ ﾟ･:,｡

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**[[Thank you everyone who has read both parts of this story! I hope you like the ending as much as I did ]]**


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